Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3563

Incident date

October 3, 2018

Location

تل باجر, Tal Bajir, Aleppo , Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.239415, 37.594765 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two boys were injured when an unexploded cluster bomb of a previous alleged Russian air raid exploded in the village of Tal Bajir, Aleppo governorate, on October 3rd, 2018, according to local sources. The bomb was reportedly fired a year before it exploded.

@neoIRT wrote that “two children were injured when a cluster bomb exploded from the remnants of the Russian bombing on Tal Bajir village in the southern countryside of Aleppo.” @Zitan_media reported that the victims were 12-year-old Ahmed Al Ahmad and 14-year-old Mahmoud Al Ahmad from the village of Bans.

Ibrahim Abu Leith, a Syrian Civil Defence spokesperson for the region, told Smart News Agency that the shell was a remnant of Russian airstrikes a year earlier. The boys were reportedly letting the sheep graze when they encountered the explosive.

According to Abu Leith, one of the children was seriously injured, whereas the other’s condition was stabilised. The Syrian Civil Defence has been trying to mark areas with remnants of bombings so that they can be removed.

All sources pointed to Russian forces as responsible for the unexploded ordnance.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

12 years old male from Bans village injured
14 years old male from Bans village injured

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tal Bajir, Aleppo (تل باجر), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.239415, 37.594765. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A wounded child receiving medical help after he encountered remants of a cluster bomb in Tal Bajir, 3rd October 2018 (via Civil Defence Aleppo).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteer looking after a wounded child who encountered remants of a cluster bomb in Tal Bajir, 3rd October 2018 (via Civil Defence Aleppo).
  • Man giving a wounded child a kiss after the child encountered remants of a cluster bomb in Tal Bajir, 3rd October 2018 (via Civil Defence Aleppo).

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (8) [ collapse]