Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4110

Incident date

October 19, 2019

Location

تفتناز, Taftanaz, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

A man and woman from the town of Binnish were killed and three of their children injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on a house in Taftanaz, Idlib governorate, on October 19th 2019, according to several local sources.

@SyriaCivilDefe reported that Russian warplanes bombarded the outskirts of Taftanaz town in the morning. The victims have been identified as Ahmad Kamrou Haj Qaddour and his wife Huda Al Shaar. Their three children were allegedly injured, although other sources such as Step Agency mentioned two of their children were wounded.

A Facebook post by Nasheta Al banshiea identified “the fall of 4 other wounded from the same family as a result of the air strikes.”

According to Syriahr, the strikes targeted a camp on agricultural land that was inhabited by displaced families in the vicinity of Taftanaz town. A tweet by @ZaitunAgency also identified that this camp was located close to Taftanaz airport.

Salim Al Mohammad, an activist in the area, told Giron that “Russian SU24 planes targeted an apartment house on the outskirts of Taftanaz town south of Idlib”.

A video posted by @ibnaljaball shows the moments a building is being bombed and engulfed in smoke from the explosion. A video posted by @blaas083 shows the aftermath of the strike, which severely damaged a building, collapsed another building, and damages a vehicle close by.

Orient News reported that their correspondents on the ground counted 30 airstrikes in total. A tweet by @blaas083 quantified six Russian raids as being carried out.

All sources that reported on the incident attributed the strikes to Russian forces except for one. A tweet from @EuphratesPost identified regime forces as responsible.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Adult male from Binnish city, husband of Huda Al Shaar killed
Adult female wife of Ahmad Haj Qaddour killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • 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 belligerent
    Russian Military

Sources (38) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (19) [ collapse]

  • A volunteer of the Civil Defence Force on the site of an alleged airstrike on Taftanaz on October 19th, 2019 (via @SyrianCoalition).
  • The site of an alleged Russian airstrike on the town of Taftanaz, Idlib governorate, on October 19th 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • The site of an alleged Russian airstrike on the town of Taftanaz, Idlib governorate, on October 19th 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • Footage of the alleged Russian strike on the town of Taftanaz on October 19th, 2019 (via @SyriaCivilDefe).
  • Photo of damage caused by an alleged Russian airstrike on the town of Taftanaz on October 19, 2019 (via Edlib Media Center on Facebook).
  • Photo of damage caused by an alleged Russian airstrike on the town of Taftanaz on October 19, 2019 (via Edlib Media Center on Facebook).
  • Photo of damage caused by an alleged Russian airstrike on the town of Taftanaz on October 19, 2019 (via Edlib Media Center on Facebook).
  • Photo of damage caused by an alleged Russian airstrike on the town of Taftanaz on October 19, 2019 (via Edlib Media Center on Facebook).
  • Photo of damage caused by an alleged Russian airstrike on the town of Taftanaz on October 19, 2019 (via Edlib Media Center on Facebook).
  • Photo of damage caused by an alleged Russian airstrike on the town of Taftanaz on October 19, 2019 (via Edlib Media Center on Facebook).
  • Photo of damage caused by an alleged Russian airstrike on the town of Taftanaz on October 19th, 2019 (via Edlib Media Center on Facebook).
  • Photo allegedly showing the house that was targeted in the alleged Russian airstrike before and after the strike (via @so_ria98).
  • Caption translation: The barbaric bombing of the Russian occupation of Taftanaz Al-Habiba ... and the rise of two martyrs ... May God accept them ... and these are pictures of the building before and after the targeting ... their problem with a despicable world is that they are not from a minority (Image posted by @Ahmadmuaffaq)
  • Caption translation: In the protection of God the martyr, God willing: Haji Ahmad Kamro Haj Qaddour And his wife, "Hajjah Hoda Al-Shaar" As a result of the raids on their home, this afternoon, God counted us and is the best representative May God accept them and dwell in them in His spaciousness. (Image posted by Binnish.alan via Facebook)
  • Caption translation: The city of Binnish or the martyrs brings you the news of the martyrdom of Al-Hajj "Ahmed Kamro Haj Qaddour and his wife Hoda Al-Shaar" in addition to the fall of 4 other wounded from the same family as a result of the air strikes that targeted the outskirts of the town of Taftanaz a little while ago (Image posted by Nasheta Al banshiea via Facebook)
  • Caption translation: The city of Binnish or the martyrs brings you the news of the martyrdom of Al-Hajj "Ahmed Kamro Haj Qaddour and his wife Hoda Al-Shaar" in addition to the fall of 4 other wounded from the same family as a result of the air strikes that targeted the outskirts of the town of Taftanaz a little while ago (Image posted by Nasheta Al banshiea via Facebook)
  • Caption translation: The city of Binnish or the martyrs brings you the news of the martyrdom of Al-Hajj "Ahmed Kamro Haj Qaddour and his wife Hoda Al-Shaar" in addition to the fall of 4 other wounded from the same family as a result of the air strikes that targeted the outskirts of the town of Taftanaz a little while ago (Image posted by Nasheta Al banshiea via Facebook)
  • Caption translation: Local news networks reported that two civilians were killed and several others were wounded, today, Saturday, as a result of a Russian raid in the vicinity of the town of Taftanaz in the southern countryside of Idlib. (Image from Qasioun News)

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
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • 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 belligerent
    Russian Military

Sources (38) [ collapse]