Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4086

Incident date

August 28, 2019

Location

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

Airwars assessment

In what local media described as “a massacre”, as many as 15 civilians including up to five children and two women died and another 34 were wounded, including women and children, in alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Ma’aret Al Nu’man after sunset on August 28, 2019. According to the Smart News Agency, 47 civilians were killed and wounded in the event.

Euphrates Post put the death toll at 13 including “five brothers”. In one post it blamed Russia, but in another it said that the regime was responsible.

According to the Step News Agency, “the regime’s warplanes committed a massacre against civilians in Ma’aret al-Nu’man city in the southern countryside of Idlib this evening [Aug 28th]. Abdullah Abu Ali, a Step News correspondent said that a SU-24 warplane dropped its cargo of eight vacuum rockets at once in Ma’aret al-Nu’man, killing 10 civilians, including five members of the family – a mother and her children. Another 23 civilians, mostly children, were wounded to varying degrees”.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also blamed the regime, putting the death toll at 12 including two women and six children.

A tweet from @Sy24ria reported ” the killing of nine civilians, including women and children” and attributed the strike to Russia. Another post by @khalidaboalmjed put the death roll at 11, “most of them children”.

@OrientNews posted a tweet that reported ” Two civilians were killed and 30 wounded in an airstrike on the city of Maarat al-Numan, Idlib.”

A tweet by @thawrat111 put the number killed at 14 and the number wounded at 30, adding “the number is increasing, and there is a mother and her five children still under the rubble.”

Three of the civilians killed were named by @majed_abdalnoor as Mahmoud, Muhammad and Mustafa (children), “three brothers in addition to eleven other martyrs killed”.

A post by Shaam baladi named the civilians killed as: Yassin Al-Melhem “Al-Maarrah”, Ahmad Al-Hussein “Kafrouma”, Abdullah Yaroub Al-Hamid, Jihad Hasan al-Shalah “child”, Ahmed Youssef Darwish. They also named the civilians injured as: Muhammad Walid Al-Shalah, limays alshuhna ” tafla”, ‘amin alshuhna ” tifl”, Aamir Fadl Al-Gharib, Zakaria Al-Atrash, Muhammad Al-Awad, Ahmad Al-Darwish, Mohamed Doudi, Ghalya Al-Darwish, Aamir Jarban “Child”, Belle Hameemas, Yusef Al-Darwish, Yahya Al-Shalah, Hasna Al Darwish, hamdu alshuhna, may alshahna, Aamir Gharib, Fatima Al-Darwish, Fadia Al-Darwish, eazl alshuhna, muhamad alshuhna, Muhammad al-Shufah, shahid dubaybiun, and Amer Al-Beek.

Syrian Human Rights Committee also adds the names Nadera Darwish (F), The child Nawras Ayman Juban (M), Ahmad Abdul Karim Al-Barq (M) killed in the airstrikes.

A post by My Love Maaret Al Nu’man on Facebook added the name Yunus Ahmed Darwish as kill, bringing the named civilians killed to 15.

Enab baladi reported that women and children were among the 34 injured in the strike and according to Zaman Al Wasl, the majority of those wounded were women and children.

A tweet from @Charles_Lister reported that at the time, many people were still stuck under the rubble.

Videos posted by Hadi Al Abdullah show destroyed buildings, fires, and White Helmets removing bodies and helping injured people and trying to remove people from collapsed buildings. At least one body of a child can be seen being removed from the rubble. The same source also mentioned that the bombing, which they attributed to the regime, occurred in residential neighborhoods and caused great damage and fire to residential homes. They identified 12 civilians, including six children and two women, as being killed.

A graphic video posted by @asseraaalsham shows a teenage boy who was violently killed while riding a motorcycle.

A graphic image posted by @khalidaboalmjed shows five small children that were killed in the strikes, which they attributed to Russia.

Multiple sources, including Step News and @Sy24ria, reported that Ma’aret Al Nu’man was struck with eight vacuum missiles. Enab Baladi reported: “The director of the “Civil Defense” sector in Maarat al-Numan, Abada Zikra, told Enab Baladi that the “Sukhoi 24” Syrian warplanes targeted residential neighborhoods in the city with 12 missiles at once.”

The incident occured around dusk.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Child male killed
Child male killed
Child male killed

Family members (4)

Jihad Hasan al-Shalah "child" جهاد حسن الشلح " طفل "
Child female killed
Muhammad Walid Al-Shalah محمد وليد الشلح
injured
Yahya Al-Shalah يحيى الشلح
injured
ramziat alshalah رمزية الشلح
injured

Family members (8)

Ahmed Youssef Darwish أحمد الحسين " كفرومة"
Child male killed
Yunus Ahmad Al-Darwish احمد الدرويش
male killed
Ghalya Al-Darwish غالية الدرويش
female killed
Yusef Al-Darwish يوسف الدرويش
injured
Hasna Al Darwish حسناء الدرويش
injured
Fatima Al-Darwish فاطمة الدرويش
injured
Fadia Al-Darwish فاديا الدرويش
injured
Nadera Darwish
female killed

Family members (5)

limays alshuhna " tafla" لميس الشحنة " طفلة"
female injured
'amin alshuhna " tifl" امين الشحنة " طفل"
Child injured
hamdu alshuhna حمدو الشحنة
injured
may alshahna مي الشحنة
injured
eazl alshuhna عزل الشحنة
injured

Family members (2)

Aamir Fadl Al-Gharib عامر فضل الغريب
injured
Aamir Gharib عامر غريب
injured

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Al-Shinah Abu Hamdo
Age unknown male injured
Yassin Al-Melhem "Al Maarrah" ياسين الملحم " المعرة "
Child male killed
Ahmed Al-Hussein "Kafrouma" أحمد الحسين " كفرومة"
Age unknown male killed
Abdullah Yaroub Al-Hamid عبدالله يعرب الحميد
Child male killed
Zakaria Al-Atrash زكريا الاطرش
Age unknown injured
Muhammad Al-Awad محمد العوض
Age unknown injured
Mohamed Doudi محمد دودي
Age unknown injured
Aamer Jarban "Child" عامر جربان "طفل"
Child injured
Belle Hameemas حسناء حميمص
Age unknown injured
Muhammad al-Shufah محمد الشحنة
Age unknown injured
shahid dubaybiun شهد دبيبي
Age unknown injured
Amer Al-Beek عامر البيك
Age unknown injured
Mustafa Al-Kreidi
Child male killed
Ahmed Abdul Karim Al-Barq
Adult male killed
Nawras Ayman Juban
Child male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 14
  • (2–8 children1–2 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–40
  • 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

Sources (50) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (50) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Ma'arat al Numan in Syria, August 28th (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th (via White Helmets)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The aftermath of an alleged vacuum missile strike by the regime on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th 2019 (via EMC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged vacuum missile strike by the regime on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th 2019 (via EMC)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of a strike on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th (via MMC)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of strikes on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th 2019 (via MMC)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of strikes on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th 2019 (via MMC)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of strikes on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th 2019 (via MMC)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of strikes on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th 2019 (via MMC)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of strikes on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th 2019 (via MMC)
  • Further scenes from the aftermath of the strikes on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th (via MMC)
  • Further scenes from the aftermath of the strikes on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th (via MMC)
  • Further scenes from the aftermath of the strikes on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th (via MMC)
  • Further scenes from the aftermath of the strikes on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th (via MMC)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A dead child following an airstrike on Ma'arat al Numan, AUg 28th 2019 (via MMC)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A dead child following an airstrike on Ma'arat al Numan, AUg 28th 2019 (via MMC)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A dead child following an airstrike on Ma'arat al Numan, AUg 28th 2019 (via MMC)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The bodies of children following airstrikes on Ma'arat al Numan, Aug 28th 2019 (via SN4HR)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • Images from @Sy24ria show the destruction from alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Maarat al-Nu`man on August 28, 2019.
  • Images from @Sy24ria show the destruction from alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Maarat al-Nu`man on August 28, 2019.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Images from @Sy24ria show the destruction from alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Maarat al-Nu`man on August 28, 2019.
  • Images from @Sy24ria show the destruction from alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Maarat al-Nu`man on August 28, 2019.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Images posted by @khalidaboalmjed show five children killed in airstrikes against Maarat al-Nu`man on August 28, 2019.
  • Images posted by @khalidaboalmjed show the explosion caused by airstrikes against Maarat al-Nu`man on August 28, 2019.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • Images posted by @IdlibPlus show White Helmets removing bodies and the destruction caused by the airstrikes on Maarat al-Nu`man on August 28, 2019.
  • Images posted by @IdlibPlus show White Helmets removing bodies and the destruction caused by the airstrikes on Maarat al-Nu`man on August 28, 2019.
  • Images posted by @IdlibPlus show White Helmets removing bodies and the destruction caused by the airstrikes on Maarat al-Nu`man on August 28, 2019.
  • Images posted by @IdlibPlus show White Helmets removing bodies and the destruction caused by the airstrikes on Maarat al-Nu`man on August 28, 2019.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image posted by @Ahmad_1alshble of a child killed in airstrikes on Maarat al-Nu`man on August 28, 2019.
  • Caption translation: Civil defense personnel and residents are trying to pull out the stranded people from under the rubble of the bombing Maarat al-Numan 28/8/2019 Photography: Mustafa Sarout (Image posted by @AleppoAMC)
  • Caption translation: Civil defense personnel and residents are trying to pull out the stranded people from under the rubble of the bombing Maarat al-Numan 28/8/2019 Photography: Mustafa Sarout (Image posted by @AleppoAMC)
  • Caption translation: Civil defense personnel and residents are trying to pull out the stranded people from under the rubble of the bombing Maarat al-Numan 28/8/2019 Photography: Mustafa Sarout (Image posted by @AleppoAMC)
  • Caption translation: Civil defense personnel and residents are trying to pull out the stranded people from under the rubble of the bombing Maarat al-Numan 28/8/2019 Photography: Mustafa Sarout (Image posted by @AleppoAMC)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Caption translation: Mahmoud, Muhammad and Mustafa are three brothers in addition to eleven other martyrs killed by Putin a short while ago in Maarat al-Numan in Idlib countryside, and warplanes are still flying intensively, spreading killing and death around the clock without the eyelid of an international or Arab organization, amid a complicity in killing that the world has not seen throughout history (Image by @majed_abdalnoor)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • Caption translation: "Idlib countryside # Maarat Al-Nu`man 28_8_2019 😔 Child "Abdullah Yaroub Al-Hamid" was martyred as a result of the air strikes that targeted the city of Maarat Al-Nu`man today." (Image from Mohammed Al Shami via Facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Caption translation: The killing of the child, Yassin Yaqoub Al-Melhem, in an aerial bombardment of the Russian warplanes and the warplanes of the Assad regime on the city (Maarat al-Numan) in the southeastern countryside of Idlib. (Image posted by Justice Organization via Facebook)
  • Caption translation: This angel child "Jihad Hassan Al-Shalah" was killed by planes The criminal regime today in the city of Maarat al-Numan (Image posted by Rami Al Mari ia Facebook)
  • Caption translation: The martyr Ahmed Abdul Karim Al-Barq in the protection of God Allah is my suffice, and the best deputy (Image posted by Khalil Hammadi via Facebook)
  • Caption translation: The young martyr Yunus Ahmed Darwish succumbed to his wounds two weeks ago as a result of the air raid on the city (Image posted by My Love Maaret Al Nu’man via Facebook)

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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 14
  • (2–8 children1–2 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–40
  • 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

Sources (50) [ collapse]