Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3620

Incident date

April 23, 2019

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikoun, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Shelling on residential neighbourhoods in Khan Sheikhoun killed nine named civilians and wounded as many as dozens more on April 23rd, 2019, local media reported. Up to 64 rocket and artillery shells were used in the raid, according to the Syrian Civil Defense.

While @abuhuzaifa_ reported an initial toll of five civilian fatalities but in a later post reported that the number had gone up to seven fatalities – and 12 wounded.

@ShahbaPress claimed that among the victims were at least three children and two women. Eldorar put the number of children killed as high as five.

According to Baladi, “the forces of the regime and the militias supporting it stationed in the Russian camp in the village of Kabariya in the countryside of Hama, targeted the city of Khan Sheikun, south of Idlib, with intense rocket and artillery shells. The preliminary death toll from the shelling that targeted residential areas inside the city amounted to six civilians, including three children and two women, and dozens more were wounded.”

The Syrian Civil Defense teams that inspected the target site and assisted the victims reported seven fatalities, including a total of four children and two women. The source added that 12 others were indeed wounded.

The Syrian Civil Defense teams and the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed Syrian regime force, while @abuhuzaifa_ blamed “Iranian guard militias and gangs of Assad with Russian support”.

@Abuhuzaifa_ added that “The Al Issawi Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in the city, was destroyed by the Assad gangs and Iranian criminal militias.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

7 years old male killed
8 years old male killed
9 years old female killed
Age unknown female injured
Child female killed
Age unknown killed
Age unknown male Described as a "young man" killed
Child female Described as "young girl" killed
Age unknown injured
Age unknown injured
Age unknown injured
Age unknown injured
Age unknown male injured
70 years old female injured
30 years old injured
50 years old male injured
30 years old male injured
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9
  • (3–5 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (31) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (21) [ collapse]

  • Shelling on Khan sheikhoun on April 23rd (via @abuhuzaifa_).
  • Name of the alleged victims of shelling on Khan sheikhoun (via @abuhuzaifa_).
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    Children killed by shelling on Khan Sheikhan on April 23rd (via @abuhuzaifa_).
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    Two children, killed by shelling on Khan Sheikhan on April 23rd (via @abuhuzaifa_).
  • Syrian Civil Defense teams inspecting the target site Khan Sheikhan after it was struck by shelling on April 23rd (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Syrian Civil Defense teams inspecting the target site Khan Sheikhan after it was struck by shelling on April 23rd (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Syrian Civil Defense teams assisting a wounded civilian in Khan Sheikhan town after it was struck by shelling on April 23rd (via Syrian Civil Defense).
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    Syrian Civil Defense teams carrying the body of one of the victims of shelling on the town of Khan Sheikhan on April 23rd (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Aysha Makhzoum, killed in shelling on Khan Sehikoun on April 23rd (via Khan Sehikoun and its countryside lens Facebook page).
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    Ahmed Mohamed Nasr Sarmani, killed in shelling on Khan Sheikhoun on April 23rd (via Khan Sehikoun and its countryside lens).
  • Footage of the strikes on Khan Sheikoun, April 23rd.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child victims of "rocket-propelled grenade launchers against the city of Khan Sheikhoun"
  • Translation: 'The al-Issawi Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in the city, was destroyed by the Assad gangs and Iranian criminal militias...'
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The body of a child who was killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling on the town of Khan Sheikhoun on April 23rd, 2019 (via Farouk Abo Samer on Facebook).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The body of a child who was killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling on the town of Khan Sheikhoun on April 23rd, 2019 (via Farouk Abo Samer on Facebook).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The body of a girl who was killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling on the town of Khan Sheikhoun on April 23rd, 2019 (via Farouk Abo Samer on Facebook).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The body of a child who was killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling on the town of Khan Sheikhoun on April 23rd, 2019 (via Farouk Abo Samer on Facebook).
  • Al Issawi Mosque was damaged in alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling on the town of Khan Sheikhoun on April 23rd, 2019 (via @Abuhuzaifa_).
  • Al Issawi Mosque was damaged in alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling on the town of Khan Sheikhoun on April 23rd, 2019 (via @Abuhuzaifa_).
  • Inside Al Issawi Mosque, which was damaged in alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling on the town of Khan Sheikhoun on April 23rd, 2019 (via @Abuhuzaifa_).
  • Al Issawi Mosque was damaged in alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling on the town of Khan Sheikhoun on April 23rd, 2019 (via @Abuhuzaifa_).

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9
  • (3–5 children2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (31) [ collapse]