Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4122

Incident date

October 31, 2019

Location

كفرنبل, Kafar Nabil, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.6155094, 36.5471898 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and three civilians, including one to two children, died and up to six more were wounded in alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafar Nabil, according to sources on the ground.

Macro Media Centre reported “the death of a displaced man and his child and the injury of several others as a result of airstrikes by Russian warplanes targeting the city of Kafar Nabil”. They also added that two of those injured were children and “one of the children is still missing as a result of the strikes.”

The majority of sources, including @IdlibPlus put the death toll at two while a few other sources reported one killed and “a number of wounded”. The Step News Agency also put the death toll at two with six more wounded.

A tweet from @HadiAlabdallah reported “the death of a man and a girl (3 years) and the wounding of six other civilians, including children, as a result of Russian warplanes targeting residential homes in the city of Kafr Nabl.”

Syria Civil Defense posted “three civilians, including 2 children, were killed and 6 others, including a child and a woman, were injured as a result of Russian warplanes.”

Syrian Human Rights Committee published the names of those killed:  Muhammad Mari al-Mustafa and the girl Ghazlan Al-Omar, who many sourced had reported were father and daughter.

A video taken by Syrian Civil Defense shows an injured man being rescued by White Helmets and loaded into an ambulance.

Videos posted by UFUK SY and @HalabTodayTV show the destruction to property, including buildings reduced to rubble.

All sources that reported on the incident attributed the strikes to Russia or did not specify if they were carried out by regime or Russian forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ghazlan al-Omar
3 years old years old female killed
Muhammad Mari al-Mustafa
Adult male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Kafar Nabil (كفرنبل), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.6155094, 36.5471898. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1–2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • Footage of an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafar Nabil, October 31st.
  • Caption translation: Air strikes carried out by the Russian and Syrian warplanes on the towns of Idlib countryside since the early hours of the morning, killing a civilian in Hass and another in Al-Fatira, and the killing of a girl and her father in Kafr Nabl. (Image posted by @RoaaMediaNews)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The remains of the little girl Ghazlan al-Omar after the Russian bombing that the city of Kafr Nabl on October 31, 2019 (Image posted by Salam Al Ahmad via Facebook)
  • Caption Translation: Three civilians, including 2 children, were killed and 6 others, including a child and a woman, were injured as a result of Russian warplanes targeted the houses of civilians in Kafranbel city of Edlib countryside today. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense via Facebook)
  • Caption translation: My cousin Muhammad Mari al-Mustafa. Abu Marei, a martyr, "by the bombing of the Russian warplanes on the city of Kafr Nabl this morning (Image posted by Mohammed Saleh Al Omar via Facebook)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1–2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military

Sources (21) [ collapse]