Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3946

Incident date

July 24, 2019

Location

قرية طبيش, Tabish village, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

In the evening of July 24th, 2019, alleged Russian or Syrian airstrikes caused what was described as “a horrific massacre” of an entire family in the village of Tabish near the city of Khan Sheikhoun in the southern countryside of Idlib.

Local sources reported that the airstrikes struck residential houses in the village of Tabish with several raids. According to Shaam News Network, the shelling of the area repeated two times, causing extensive destruction of more than 15 houses. The source initially reported eight civilians of the same family were killed in addition to a number of missing persons, mostly children and women. In a later post, however, the source reported nine civilians were killed.

The Syrian Civil Defence wrote on Facebook: “Seven civilians were killed and 10 others were injured as a result of the targeting of the village of Tabish in the countryside of Idlib by two raids by Russian warplane with high-impact missiles on Saturday night. Our teams are still searching for missing persons from the ruins of the 15 houses destroyed.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights wrote that “at least 7 civilians, including 3 children and a woman, killed as fixed-wing warplanes which we believe were Russian fired several missiles on Tbish village in Idlib governorate southern suburbs, on July 24, 2019.”

While initial reports reported three to nine civilian deaths, several sources, including @syrian191124, reported the names of 10 victims who were killed in the strikes, including at least three children and two women. It is unclear if the person named as
“the daughter of Ayoub Al Hassan” is a child or adult.

Additionally, Shabha Press and @SYR_REV_NEWS reported 10 injured civilians.

@anwaralnhar tweeted: “10 civilian casualties, the outcome of the targeting of the Russian occupation forces with high-explosive missiles, the Tabissh farm, north of Khan Sheikhoun, in the southern Idlib countryside.”

@z0UdP8TRY3EZAix also mentioned the use of high-explosive missiles in two airstrikes by a Russian warplane.

Nearly all sources, including SyriaTV and @OrientNews, pointed to Russia as the belligerent of the strikes. However, Al Najah News was the only source blaming the Syrian regime.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (3–4 children2–3 women4 men)
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (41) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (13) [ collapse]

  • Syrian Civil Defense teams at the scene after an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrikes struck Tabish on July 24th (via Syrian Civil Defense),
  • Syrian Civil Defense teams at the scene after an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrikes struck Tabish on July 24th (via Syrian Civil Defense),
  • Aftermath of an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrikes struck Tabish on July 24th (via Syrian Civil Defense),
  • A Syrian Civil Defence volunteer carrying an injured child after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Tabish on July 24th, 2019 (via @anwaralnhar).
  • Translation: “Search for civilians under the rubble in Tabish farm in Khan Sheikhoun countryside” (via @abuhuzaifa_).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers at the site after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Tabish on July 24th, 2019 (via SyriaTV).
  • Translate: “Russia records a new massacre... Eight martyrs in Tabish village, and the death toll rises to 16 in Idlib” (via @abohoseen3).
  • A Syrian Civil Defence volunteer carrying an injured child after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Tabish on July 24th, 2019 (via @abohoseen3).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: “A horrific massacre committed by Russian warplanes against civilians in the village of Tabish, north of Khan Sheikhoun. This was done through two air strikes by a Russian warplane with highly explosive missiles, which caused a painful massacre against civilians, in which 10 martyrs were killed” (via @z0UdP8TRY3EZAix).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Syrian Civil Defence volunteers carrying the body of a male victim after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Tabish, Idlib governorate, on July 24th, 2019 (via @z0UdP8TRY3EZAix).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers carrying the body of a male victim after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Tabish on July 24th, 2019 (via @z0UdP8TRY3EZAix).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A Syrian Civil Defence volunteer possibly holding a body part of a victim after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Tabish, Idlib governorate, on July 24th, 2019 (via @z0UdP8TRY3EZAix).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Syrian Civil Defence volunteers carrying the body of a child after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Tabish, Idlib governorate, on July 24th, 2019 (via @z0UdP8TRY3EZAix).

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (3–4 children2–3 women4 men)
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (41) [ collapse]