Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4161

Incident date

November 12, 2019

Location

معرة حرمة, Maarat Harma, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.5497387, 36.5422624 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, three civilians including a woman and a volunteer with the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) called Ahmad Ali al-Ali were reported killed, and between four and seven others injured including a woman and five volunteers from White Helmets when Russian forces or the Syrian regime allegedly targeted Ma’aret Harma and the two teams of the Syrian Civil Defense rescuing civilians there with aerial bombing or artillery systems, on November 12th, 2019.

According to Baladi News, Russian warplanes bombarded the town of Maaret Horma in the southern countryside of Idlib, targeting civilians during the olive harvest, causing several casualties.

In addition to the volunteer who got killed, Syrian Civil Defense said that five of their volunteers were also injured as a result of Assad forces targeting of two civil defense teams who were working to rescue civilian casualties as a result of attacks on Ma’arat Harma. The five volunteers are Abdul Salam Al-Khalf, Abdul Qader Al-Ahmad, Jihad Mohsen, Bassam al-hamd and Ahmed Najjar and “the ambulance they drove was targeted as they were heading to rescue civilians in the town of idlib.”

A tweet by @MUHIDDINTR also named the other two civilians that were killed: Moaz Mahmoud Haj Ahmed and Alia Abdullah Haj Ahmed. Aramme reported that these two civilians were a man and his wife.

@ShahbaPress also mentioned that the attacks also caused significant material damage to the Civil Defense Center in Ma’arat Harma, blaming Russia for that.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that casualties occurred because of “an intensive shelling by Syrian regime forces artillery on an ambulance of Civil Defense in agricultural lands in southwest of Ma’aret Harma village in the southern suburbs of Idlib governorate, while its team was transferring the injured on previous bombing by fixed- wing warplanes we believe were Russian on the same area, on November 12.” Alquds added that “the Russian warplanes targeting the town with an air strike, followed by 16 artillery shelling while the teams were working to treat the wounded and dead.”

While Baladi, ShahbaPress, Edlib Media Center and IdlibPlus blamed Russia for this, the Syrian Civil Defense and the Syrian Network for Human Rights both blamed the Syrian regime.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult male injured
Adult male injured
Adult male injured
Adult male injured
Adult male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman1 man1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–7
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Assad regime

Sources (33) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (21) [ collapse]

  • Five SCD volunteers reported injured in the attack.
  • Aftermath of Russia and Regime forces attack on SCD team while on their way to remove civilians in Ma'aret Horma - Idlib.
  • Ahmad Ali al Ali, member of Civil Defense- Ma’aret Harma Center reported killed
  • SCD attacked ambulance
  • The damage caused to the Syrian Civil Defense ambulance allegedly after it was targeted by the regime or Russia in Ma'aret Harma, Syria on November 12th, 2019 (via SCD)
  • The damage caused to the Syrian Civil Defense ambulance allegedly after it was targeted by the regime or Russia in Ma'aret Harma, Syria on November 12th, 2019 (via SCD)
  • The damage caused to the Syrian Civil Defense ambulance allegedly after it was targeted by the regime or Russia in Ma'aret Harma, Syria on November 12th, 2019 (via SCD)
  • Syrian Civil Defense ambulance after it was allegedly shelled by the Syrian regime in Ma'aret Harma on November 12th, 2019 (via SN4HR)
  • A SCD volunteer reported injured while on duty in alleged Russian or Syrian regime attack on Ma'aret Harma in Idlib on November 12th, 2019 (via SCD)
  • A SCD volunteer reported injured while on duty in alleged Russian or Syrian regime attack on Ma'aret Harma in Idlib on November 12th, 2019 (via SCD)
  • A SCD volunteer reported injured while on duty in alleged Russian or Syrian regime attack on Ma'aret Harma in Idlib on November 12th, 2019 (via SCD)
  • A SCD volunteer reported injured while on duty in alleged Russian or Syrian regime attack on Ma'aret Harma in Idlib on November 12th, 2019 (via SCD)
  • A SCD volunteer reported injured while on duty in alleged Russian or Syrian regime attack on Ma'aret Harma in Idlib on November 12th, 2019 (via SCD)
  • Caption translation: Air and war raids, artillery and missile strikes targeting the cities and towns of Kafr Nabl, Hass, Hazarin, Shannan, Arinbeh, Maarat Harmah, Dar Al Kabeerah, and Maarizita in the southern countryside of Idlib. (Images posted by @Mustafa_ElHidir)
  • Caption translation: Air and war raids, artillery and missile strikes targeting the cities and towns of Kafr Nabl, Hass, Hazarin, Shannan, Arinbeh, Maarat Harmah, Dar Al Kabeerah, and Maarizita in the southern countryside of Idlib. (Images posted by @Mustafa_ElHidir)
  • Caption translation: Air and war raids, artillery and missile strikes targeting the cities and towns of Kafr Nabl, Hass, Hazarin, Shannan, Arinbeh, Maarat Harmah, Dar Al Kabeerah, and Maarizita in the southern countryside of Idlib. (Images posted by @Mustafa_ElHidir)
  • Caption translation: Air and war raids, artillery and missile strikes targeting the cities and towns of Kafr Nabl, Hass, Hazarin, Shannan, Arinbeh, Maarat Harmah, Dar Al Kabeerah, and Maarizita in the southern countryside of Idlib. (Images posted by @Mustafa_ElHidir)
  • Caption translation: This is what remains of the ambulance of the White Helmets, which was burned, including the wounded and paramedics, after it was targeted by the Assad gangs with artillery shelling while treating the injured in the town of Maarat Harmah, south of Idlib this evening, Tuesday (Image posted by @Ahmad_1alshble)
  • Caption translation: A member of the "Syrian Civil Defense" teams has risen and others were wounded after they were targeted by heavy artillery shells by the regime forces while evacuating wounded civilians in the town of Maarat Harmah in the southern countryside of Idlib. (Images posted by @Mustafa_ElHidir)

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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman1 man1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–7
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Assad regime

Sources (33) [ collapse]