(Previous Incident Codes: R3729RS3946)

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.