Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3699

Incident date

May 17, 2019

Location

معرة النعمان, Ma’aret Al Nu’man, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Seven civilians, including four women and a child, were killed and dozens were injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in the city of Ma’arat Al Numan, Idlib governorate, on May 17th, 2019, according to local sources.

Euphrates Post reported that a number of civilians were injured in an airstrike by Russian warplanes the city of Ma’arat Al Nu’man, Idlib, on May 17th. The same source later reported that seven civilians were killed in the strike administered during the Maghrib call to prayer around sunset. In this latter report, Euphrates Post appeared to change their position, and attribute the airstrike to the Syrian regime.

Sources reported the names of in total seven killed civilians. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, “Abdul Hamid Mahloul died on May 21, 2019, due to wounds sustained on May 17, 2019, as Syrian regime fixed-wing warplanes fired a missile on Ma’aret al Numan city in Idlib governorate southern suburbs. We note that the bombing resulted in a massacre in which the wife of Abdul Hamid was among the victims.”

Among the victims were also Tamer Zangelkji and his daughter. The Facebook page Al Maara Lover later added that Tamer’s aunt had died of her injuries in a Turkish hospital: “Now the 55-year-old Faiza Zanbilkji has been raised (…) The martyr was visiting her nephew Tamer Zanbelkji”

@SyriaCivilDefe reported that 14 civilians had been injured. @HadiAlabdallah reported “dozens of wounded”.

A Brocar Press correspondent reported that “there was a lot of damage to the residential buildings, amid a state of panic in which the residents of the neighbourhood near the vegetable market in the city lived.”

Several sources reported the use of vacuum missiles. Sources blamed both Russia and the Syrian regime.

The incident occured around dusk.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Adult male killed alongside his daughter killed
55 years old female aunt of Tamer Zanbulkji killed

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (1 child4 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    14–24
  • 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 (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (15) [ collapse]

  • A street in the city of Ma’aret Al Nu’man in the aftermath of the strike (via Euphrates Post)
  • Translation: “The father and the child were martyred by malicious raids that hit the city of Ma'arat Al Numan today, the moment of breaking the fast” (via @osama_sy87).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: “Despite her wounds and the blood that covers her, she sends you her message. Here, Ma'rat Al Numan, in the Idlib countryside, just before” (via @Omar_Madaniah).
  • An injured girl in the hospital after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Ma'arat Al Numan on May 17th (via @Omar_Madaniah).
  • Translation: “A little girl, not older than ten years, did not understand the meaning of life yet, but the circumstances of the war in Syria forced her to try to save her brother after Russian aircraft targeted the market in the city of Ma'arat Al Numan this evening” (via @Ahmad_Al_Kassom).
  • Translation: “The moment Russian warplanes bombed residential neighborhoods in the city of Ma'arat Al Numan at breakfast time” (via @Ahmad_Al_Kassom).
  • Translation: “This is how the fasting people broke their fast today in the city of Ma'arat Al Numan” (via @OrientNews).
  • Translation: “The first moments after the airstrike on Ma'arat Al Numan, south of Idlib, in Syria” (via @TurkiShalhoub).
  • Translation: “Four martyrs and dozens of wounded due to the targeting of Russian planes with vacuum missiles in residential neighborhoods in Maarat al-Numan in Idlib countryside” (via @aboalhodaalhoms).
  • Translation: “Two martyrs in the city of Ma'arat Al Numan so far, and they are Tamer Zanbulkji and his daughter and a number of other wounded people as a result of the bombing that targeted the city during the breakfast period” (via Abdulkarim.alomar).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The body of the daughter of Tamer Zanbalkji. The girl was killed alongside her father in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on May 17th (via Nouri Al Rawwal).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Tamer Zanbalkji was killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Ma'arat Al Numan, May 17th (via Nouri Al Rawwal).
  • Translation: “Now the 55-year-old, Faiza Zanbilkji, has been raised. After her aid to Turkey, where she breathed her last. The martyr was visiting her nephew Tamer Zanbelkji" (via Al Maara Lover).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Ma'arat Al Numan on May 17th (via Al Marra News).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Ma'arat Al Numan on May 17th (via Al Marra News).

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Media
from belligerent (1) [ collapse]

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (1 child4 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    14–24
  • 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 (22) [ collapse]