Airwars assessment
Three to seven people reportedly died during several alleged Russian or Syrian air strikes on the northern outskirts of Saraqib, east of Idlib on the morning of November 17th 2019. Estimates of the number of injured people went as high as seven. While some sources claimed that the casualties were civilians, others identified them as combatants.
According to @MasarPressNet, three people were killed. @SyrianCivilDef (SCD) reported four casualties and the injury of SCD volunteer Musa Talib, who was struck by shrapnel during a rescue operation in the area. A SCD video shows White Helmets evacuating one severely burned corpse, as well as a SCD’s firefighting efforts in the affected area.
While most sources described the victims as civilians, @Xeber24 claimed that the raid had killed “seven militants loyal to Turkey and wounded five others”. The outlet reported that the seven militants had been killed while traveling by car. While @Shaamnews initially reported that the attack caused the death of four “martyrs”, it claimed in a later statement that the victims had belonged to rebel factions.
The incident was described by several sources as one part of Russia’s intensified raids on Idlib that day. Most reports attributed the air strikes to the Russian Armed Forces. @abmualso was the sole attained source claiming that both Syrian and Russian forces bombed the area.
The sources made competing claims on the exact target of the raids. While several sources claimed that the attack targeted a camp for displaced people, others reported that it targeted facilities of the combatants. @Shaamnews included pictures reported to be of the incident showing burned cars and a destroyed shop. @Arabi21News quoted activists stating “that the Russian bombing targeted a camp for the displaced”.@Xeber24, however, reported that the target of the incident was the “headquarters of the factions and organizations” of pro-Turkish militants. Idlib Plus reported that the target was several cars on the main road.
According to several sources, more than one raid occurred. @Hassan_Jneed stated that two successive air raids occurred. @mohmad_rasheed stated that the belligerents attacked with “warplanes”. The explosives involved were aerosol bombs according to @MasarPressNet.
According to local activists, as quoted by Smart News, the injured were “taken to a nearby medical point”.
The incident occured in the morning.
The victims were named as:
Summary
Sources (37) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (13) [ collapse]
-
A destroyed fridge next to an affected building damaged by an alleged Russian airstrike in Saraqib, Idlib, on November 17th, 2019 (via @shaamnews)
-
-
Rubble and car remains on the M5 in the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes in Saraqib, Idlib, on November 17th, 2019 (via @Shaamnews)Hadeel Amn who was killed when Israeli missiles destroyed a four story building in Beit Lahia on May 13th 2021. (image via We Are Not Numbers)
-
Cars passing by an affected area of the M5 in the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes in Saraqib, Idlib, on November 17th, 2019 (via @Shaamnews)
-
Palm trees burning in the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on the M5 near Saraqib, Idlib, on November 17th, 2019 (via Syrian Civil Defense)
-
A fire truck extinguishing fire in the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on the M5 near Saraqib, Idlib, on November 17th, 2019.
-
Syrian Civil Defense volunteers preparing the ambulance interior in the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes in Saraqib, Idlib, on November 17th, 2019 (via Syrian Civil Defense)
-
Syrian Civil Defense volunteers during fire fighter operations in the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes in Saraqib, Idlib, on November 17th, 2019 (via Syrian Civil Defense)
-
Groceries spread on the ground in the aftermath of alleged Russian airstrikes on theM5 near Saraqib, Idlib, on November 17th, 2019 (via @IdlibPlus)