Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS425

Incident date

January 20, 2016

Location

حزانو, Hazana, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

36.08965, 36.71404 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eight civilians including four children were killed and 20 injured in an airstrike on the town of Hazana, according to multiple sources. While most sources blamed Russia for the attack, the Syrian Network for Human Rights said that it was committed by the Assad regime, while British Foreign Office told the Telegraph that they could not be certain whether Russia or the regime were responsible.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that seven non-combatants including three children died and about 20 others were injured when suspected Russian warplanes bombed areas of Hazana. They added that the death toll was expected to rise as some people were in a critical condition.

According to the Shaam News Network, five were killed, including a child, with more wounded, when Russian warplanes targeted residential buildings with two highly explosive missiles, leading to extensive destruction.

At 1.06 in a video published by Al Jisr, they put the death toll at five, including one child, saying that the victims died when Russia targeted the village with vacuum bombs.

But the Syrian Network for Human Rights said that six people including three children were killed when regime warplanes fired missiles on the town.

The London-based Telegraph newspaper published an article in which they reported that the strike was on a British-funded bakery “designed to help 18,000 Syrians“, adding that the raid on Hazana came hours before the DFID-funded facility was due to open. They put the death toll at eight, including three children. The report stated that Russia was responsible for the raid, but went on the quote the UK Foreign Office, who said “there could not be complete certainty as to whether Russian or Syrian warplanes had carried out the raid on Jan 20, but Britain held the Kremlin responsible for a series of indiscriminate strikes.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Adult male killed
Child female killed
Child female killed
Child male killed
Child male killed

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult was listed under Maarat Misreen but it says he was killed in Hazana killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (4 children4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • 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

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian Regime raids on Hazana. Footage shows a man pulling a small child out of the rubble and carrying it to the ambulance. (via, Kamal Dabas)
  • A news Bulletin reporting on the alleged Russian and Syrian Regime airstrike in Hazana. (via, Al Jisir TV)
  • The aftermath of an alleged airstike on Hazana. (via, SNN)
  • Showing vehicles destroyed by the alleged airstrike in Hazana. (via, SNN)
  • Image capturing the exact moment the alleged airstrike fell. (via, SNN)
  • Civilian homes destroyed by the alleged airstrikes on Hazana, 20th January 2016. (via, SNN)
  • Civilians attempting to clear up the rubble in the aftermath of the incident. (via, SNN)
  • The aftermath of the incident on Hazana on 20th January 2016. (via, SNN)
  • A civilian covered in dust after being trapped under the rubble in Hazana. (via, SNN)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

In its report for military actions on January 20 2016, the says “In the course of the last 24 hours, aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces have performed 82 combat sorties engaging 204 terrorist objects in Syria“, but makes no mention of carrying out strikes in Idlib governorate.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (4 children4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • 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

Sources (11) [ collapse]