Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3660

Incident date

May 4, 2019

Location

ركايا سجنة, Rakaya Sijna, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

An alleged Russian or regime double airstrike near Al Rakaya village in the southern countryside of Idlib reportedly killed two civilians.

The Syrian Civil Defense forces reported that one of their volunteers was driving their ambulance to the site where a Russian airstrike had killed a woman, when he himself was struck by a second Russian airstrike. He died from a severe head injury. “The Syrian civil defense mourns the death of its volunteer Mohammed Shawwa, who died of a severe head injury he had endured hours earlier.”

According to Npasyria, “one of the raids targeted a whole family, causing the death of the wife and wounding the husband and three children with a variety of burns. The injured were were transferred to  medical points and hospitals. Issa Jalul, a civil defense team commander in Khan Youhoun, told North Press civil defense volunteers performing their work were subjected to a double raid, causing the death of one of the volunteers.”

Shaam named the dead volunteer as Mohammad al Shawwa, adding that he had “three children, one of whom is a newborn child”.

An ambulance was also reportedly destroyed.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (35) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Translation: "A female martyr was pulled from the rubble after air raids targeted the village of Rakaya Sijna - White Helmets".
  • Translation: "Helicopter Aviation Targets the village of Rakaya Sijna, Idlib with an explosive barrel"
  • Translation: "A Syrian Civil Defense volunteer was seriously injured after a double bombing by the air force. The team was directly targeted while inspecting sites near the village of Rakaya Sijna in the southern Idlib countryside." (via White Helmets)
  • The funeral of Mohammad al Shawwa.
  • The moment, SCD volunteer Mohammad Al Shawa was injured while on duty. He later died.
  • SCD's statement on the death of their volunteer Mohammad Al Shawa on May 4th, 2019. (via SCD)

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

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (35) [ collapse]