Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3930

Incident date

July 21, 2019

Location

سراقب, Saraqib, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least 10 civilians were injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Saraqib, Idlib governorate, on July 21st, 2019, according to local sources. One of the victims died on September 23rd due to his injuries sustained in the strikes. One source reported eight fatalities.

A SY-24 correspondent stated: “The correspondent indicated that the city of Saraqib in the Idlib countryside was also subjected to airstrikes this afternoon by the warplanes, which led to civilian casualties.”

@binnish_revolu initially tweeted that “a child and a man were wounded as a preliminary result, following a missile strike on the city of Saraqib, east of Idlib.”

Geiroon reported that “in the city of Saraqib, east of Idlib, 10 civilians, including children and women, were injured in very serious cases, in shelling by the regime’s warplanes targeting the city center.”

Safaa Al Khalaf posted the names of 10 injured civilians, including one woman and a child. On September 23rd, Justice Organisation reported that “Bara Jamal Najjar, a young man, was killed in Saraqeb city of eastern Idlib countryside due to his injuries about two months ago when he was bombed by warplanes of the Assad regime on Saraqeb city.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights was the only source reporting multiple fatalities: “Eight citizens, including a woman and a child at least, were killed in a massacre carried out by regime’s warplanes which targeted Saraqib town in the eastern countryside of Idlib.”

According to Smart News Agency, the attack was carried out on a residential area and injured a total of nine civilians, including women and children. In a separate post, the source reported on ten wounded civilians.

“Two women were wounded and civilian homes were severely destroyed, as a result of warplanes targeting residential neighbourhoods in the city of Saraqib with two vacuum missiles”, wrote @IdlibPlus.

Some sources, such as the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, blamed Russia for the strikes, while others, including Smart News Agency, pointed to the Syrian regime.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male knee injury injured
Adult male died of head injury killed
Age unknown male injured
Adult male shoulder injury injured
Adult female hand injury injured
Adult male injured
Age unknown male back injury injured
Child female head injury injured
Adult male external injury to the abdomen and back injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 8
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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 (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • Translation: “A child and a man were wounded as a preliminary result, following a missile strike on the city of Saraqib, east of Idlib” (via @binnish_revolu).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Saraqib on July 21st, 2019 (via @binnish_revolu).
  • Translation: “Two women were wounded and civilian homes were severely destroyed, as a result of warplanes targeting residential neighborhoods in the city of Saraqib with two vacuum missiles” (via @IdlibPlus).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers clearing the rubble at the site after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Saraqib, July 21st, 2019 (via @IdlibPlus).
  • Translation: “Syrian regime warplanes target the city of Saraqib with an airstrike” (via @fawaz_jwaid).
  • Alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Saraqib, July 21st, 2019 (via @fawaz_jwaid).
  • A report from the site after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Saraqib, July 21st, 2019 (via @mahmoudalbakor1).
  • Bara Jamal Najjar died on July 23rd due to his head injuries sustained in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Saraqib, July 21st, 2019 (via Justice Organisation).
  • Bara Jamal Najjar died due to his head injuries sustained in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Saraqib, July 21st, 2019 (via Mohamad Al Najjar).
  • An injured child receiving medical help after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Saraqib on July 21st, 2019 (via Smart News Agency).

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
    1 – 8
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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 (20) [ collapse]