Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4169

Incident date

November 14, 2019

Location

معرة حرمة, Ma'rat Harma, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Two children were reported killed and three members of their family including their mother injured in an alleged Russian airstrike, or Syrian regime forces barrel bombing on Ma’rat Harma town in Idlib, Syria, on November 14th, 2019 according to local sources.

IdlibPlus said “Two children were killed and two men and a woman were injured on Thursday when Russian warplanes and Assad helicopters bombed civilian houses in the town of Ma’aret Harma in the southern countryside of Idlib.”

The children reported killed are Mustafa Mohamed Ahmad, aged four and his brother Ahmed Mohamed Ahmad, aged six. The local sources reported that the children were killed as the attack targeted their house in Ma’aret Harmeh.

A tweet from @zelal_abo_adnan identified three children as being killed by “barrel bombs”.

Orient News added that “the harsh living conditions and displacement forced the Harbash family to return to their rural home in Maarat Harmah. The simple rural family returned to work in picking olives.”

The majority of sources attributed the strikes to Russia. However, Syrian Network for Human Rights reported ” fixed- wing warplanes we believe were Russian fired missiles in parallel with dropping barrel bombs by Syrian regime forces helicopters” and Idlib Plus also blamed Russia and the regime.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

4 years old male killed
6 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (32) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Smoke resulting from an alleged Russian airstrike on Ma'aret Harmeh in Idlib on Nov 14th 2019, resulting in the killing of two children and injuring three other members of their family. (via SMART)
  • Mustafa Ahmad and Muhamad Ahmad were reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Maaret Harmah in Idlib on Nov 14th 2019 (via SCD).
  • Father of Mustafa and Muhammad taking a last look at his two children killed in an alleged Russian airstrike.
  • Father of Mustafa and Muhammad taking a last look at his two children killed in an alleged Russian airstrike. (via @abuhuzaifa_)
  • Caption translation: The martyrdom of the two brothers 1- Mustafa Muhammad Al-Ahmad 2- Ahmad Muhammad Al-Ahmad And their family was wounded as a result of the Russian warplanes bombing their home in the town of Maarat Harmah in Jabal Al-Zawiya, south of Idlib (Image posted by @hoosambairooty)

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown 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
    2 – 3
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (32) [ collapse]