Airwars assessment
In a major civilian casualty incident, which several sources referred to as a “massacre”, up to 28 civilians died and as many as 30 more were wounded in multiple alleged Russian airstrikes on he town of Kafriya and Al Fou’a in Idlib.
According to Baladi, Russia launched “more than 15 successive airstrikes” on the town and “the surrounding farms with high-explosive missiles”. Other sources said that there had been “dozens” of Russia airstrikes on the town.
A report by Orient said that the strikes “targeted residential neighborhoods, markets and mosques in the town.” Multiple sources published images showing widespread destruction to residential areas.
The lowest death count was given by EdlibEMC1 at nine civilians, though the Syrian Network for Human Rights put the figure at 11 including four children and a woman.
Syria liveuamap and the White Helmets (who worked to remove bodies from the rubble), raised the death toll to 15, noting that 27 more people including 13 children and a woman were wounded.
@abuhuzaifa_ put the death toll still higher, at 20 civilians – with 30 more injured, some critically.”
On March 22nd the Step News Agency reported: “Russian aircraft launched dozens of cluster-bomb air strikes on the towns of Kafriya and Al Fou’a in the northern outskirts of Idlib and a number of towns and villages of the southern countryside of Idlib, killing dozens of civilians.
“The Russian raids on the northern countryside of Idlib focused on the center of the town of Kufria, and the western side of the town of Foa, killing 10 civilians and injuring 28 others as an initial toll in the town of Kfriya.
The death toll from Russia’s 14 raids was likely to rise by 28, due to the presence of two families under the rubble of a building in the town of Kafriya, where the civil defense teams are still working to rescue them.”
Smart noted that “forty-two civilians, including women and children, were killed and wounded” in this event. It went on to quote a doctor, “Abu Mohammed”, who said that “more than 15 raids targeted the towns of Kufriya and al-Fuha”. He noted that many civilians had moderate injuries, “mostly children and women”.
Mustafa al-Haj Yousif, director of the civil defense in Idlib, noted a death toll of “15 civilians, including four children and two women”, but told Geiroon that these numbers were likely to rise, adding that the critically inured “were transferred to Bab Al-Hawa border hospital and will be referred to Turkish hospitals”.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Summary
Sources (28) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (38) [ collapse]
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Alleged Russian airstrikes hit Kafriya and Al Fou’a, Idlib, March 22nd 2019 (via Suriye.u.a.d)
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An alleged Russian airstrike on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via Step News Agency)
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An alleged Russian airstrike on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via Step News Agency)
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An alleged Russian airstrike on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via Step News Agency)
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An alleged Russian airstrike on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via Step News Agency)
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An alleged Russian airstrike on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via Step News Agency)
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An alleged Russian airstrike on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via Step News Agency)
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The White Helmets remove a child from the rubble after an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via SN4HR)
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Children wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via Syria liveuamap)
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An alleged Russian airstrike on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via Kafriya and Al Fou’a)
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An alleged Russian airstrike on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via Kafriya and Al Fou’a)
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An alleged Russian airstrike on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via Kafriya and Al Fou’a)
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The aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019. According to Idleb Media Center, there were "dozens" or raids. (via EdlibEMC1)
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The aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019. According to Idleb Media Center, there were "dozens" or raids. (via EdlibEMC1)
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The aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019. According to Idleb Media Center, there were "dozens" or raids. (via EdlibEMC1)
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The aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019. According to Idleb Media Center, there were "dozens" or raids. (via EdlibEMC1)
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The aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019. According to Idleb Media Center, there were "dozens" or raids. (via EdlibEMC1)
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The aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019. According to Idleb Media Center, there were "dozens" or raids. (via EdlibEMC1)
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The aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019. According to Idleb Media Center, there were "dozens" or raids. (via EdlibEMC1)
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The White Helmets attend the scene of alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via White Helmets)
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Alleged Russian warplanes over Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via White Helmets)
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The White Helmets attend the scene of alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via White Helmets)
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The White Helmets attend the scene of alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via White Helmets)
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The White Helmets attend the scene of alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via White Helmets)
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The White Helmets attend the scene of alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via White Helmets)
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Ali Wahid Qalla’, killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafriya and Al Fou’a, March 22nd 2019 (via SN4HR)
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Syria, Kafriya: Doctors perform surgical work for a seriously injured child in a hospital, where 38 people were killed and wounded, including children and women, as a result of raids by Russian warplanes on the town of Kafriya near Idlib in the north of the country. Copyright SMART, published in the public interest.
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Syria, Kafriya: A child seriously injured and undergoing surgery in a hospital, where 38 people were killed and wounded, including children and women, as a result of raids by Russian warplanes on the town of Kafria near Idlib in the north of the country, Friday, March 22nd, 2019. Caption and image copyright SMART, published in the public interest.
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Syria, Kafriya: A child injured as a result of raids by Russian warplanes on the town of Kafriya near Idlib in the north of the country, Friday March 22nd, 2019. caption and image copyright SMART, published in the public interest.
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Syria, Kafriya: A girl injured by Russian military aircraft raids on the town of Kufria near Idlib in the north of the country, Friday, March 22nd, 2019. Caption and image copyright SMART, published in the public interest.
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Syria, Kafriya: A man with moderate wounds as a result of raids by Russian warplanes on the town of Kafriyanear Idlib in the north of the country, Fridayو March 22nd, 2019. Caption and image copyrights SMART, published in the public interest.
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Syria, Kafriya: Doctors perform surgical work for a seriously injured child in a hospital, where 38 people were killed and wounded, including children and women, as a result of raids by Russian warplanes on the town of Kafriya near Idlib in the north of the country. Copyright SMART, published in the public interest.
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Syria, Kafriya : A civilian body is placed inside a bag for bodies as a result of raids by Russian warplanes on the town of Kafriya near Idlib north of the country, Friday March 22nd, 2019. Copyright SMART, published in the public interest.
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Syrian Civil Defense volunteer rescuing kids wounded in alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafraya in Idlib on March 22nd 2019 (via SCD)
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Aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafraya in Idlib on March 22nd, 2019 (via @abuhuzaifa_)