Incident Code

RS4039

Location

دير شرقي, Dier Sharqi, Idlib, Syria

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: R3814)

Seven to eight civilians, including four to eight children and as many as two women, were reported killed in alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on Dier Sharqi, Idlib, on August 17th.

A number of sources stated that all casualties were from the same family, and included only women and children.

A tweet by @zamanalwsl identified that “7 dead and dozens of wounded, most of them women and children.”

Shaam News reported “a horrific massacre perpetrated by the regime’s warplanes in the eastern town of Deir Sharqi, Idlib, the toll of which is 8 martyrs from one family, all children, women and a number of wounded.”

According to Step News Agency, the “seven people who lost their lives in the aerial bombardment of the town of Deir al-Sharqi are all from the same family, namely the family of Hamoud Ibrahim Hamoud, known as “Abu Moaz”, namely: Ibrahim Hamoud Al-Hamoud (child), Majd Hamoud Al-Hamoud, Mohammed Hamoud Al-Hamoud (child), Ahmad Hamoud Hamoud (child), Hamsa Hamoud Hamoud (child), Hudaiba Hamoud Hamoud (child), and Ghada Hamoud Hamoud (the mother).

Meanwhile, Smart News stated that the attack killed “five children, their mother, and another woman”, and Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the killing of “a woman and her 6 children.”

A tweet from @ammarjaber8 described children waking up stuck under the roofs of their homes from the damage from the airstrikes and videos and images show children being rescued from debris by White Helmets.

A video posted by @HadiAlabdallah shows the moment that the airstrike hit the building and the reverberations and smoke that it immediately caused.

Sources predominantly attributed the attack to the Syrian regime, yet a number named both Russian forces and the Syrian regime in reporting the incident. A tweet from @ammarjaber8 and other sources blame Russia only for the airstrikes.

Victims

Family members (7)

Child killed
Child killed
Child killed
Adult female killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Civilians reported killed
7–8
5–8 Children, 1–2 Women
Civilians reported injured
12–24

Military Statements

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

Media From Sources (31)