Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4264

Incident date

December 18, 2019

Location

معرة النعمان, Ma'arat Al Numan, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Four men were killed in allegedly Russian and Syrian regime air- and artillery strikes on the city of Ma’arat Al Numan, Idlib governorate, on December 18th, 2019, according to local sources.

The four male victims were identified as Muhammad Ziyad Al Abd, Abd Al Razzaq, Yaman Serjawi and Fares Ahmad Al Salloum. The Syrian Civil Defence reported five wounded, including two children.

The MMC reported “intense Russian military raids with vacuum missiles, targeting residential neighbourhoods in Ma’arat Al Numan city”. The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported artillery shelling by the Syrian regime, in addition to Syrian regime airstrikes by helicopters. The shelling targeted Al Bezr market in the middle of the city, partially destroying several shops and damaging the market’s facilities.

The Syrian Civil Defence also reported that the Syrian regime shelled a building of SCD in the city.

Human Rights Watch said “In December 18, 2019, at about 11 a.m., the Maarat al-Nu`man Center for Primary Emergencies, a 24-hour ambulance deployment facility with additional emergency and child protection services, run by Violet, was hit. The center served about 600 people in the community. A Violet employee said that artillery shells struck the center’s ambulance garage and reception rooms, collapsing the building. The 10 people inside the office at the time were not wounded, but it took them five days to reopen the center. Human Rights Watch reviewed two photographs posted on Violet’s Facebook page that day that show damage to the office interior. These photographs also show damage to the windows and doors.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male son of Nayef Al Qaytaz, other sources however reported he died in airstrikes in the town of Ma’ar Shamarin on Dec 18th killed
Age unknown male killed
Age unknown male from Jarjanaz town killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (12) [ collapse]

  • Alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the city of Ma'arat Al Numan on December 18th, 2019 (via MMC).
  • Alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the city of Ma'arat Al Numan on December 18th, 2019 (via MMC).
  • Alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the city of Ma'arat Al Numan on December 18th, 2019 (via MMC).
  • Alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the city of Ma'arat Al Numan on December 18th, 2019 (via MMC).
  • Alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the city of Ma'arat Al Numan on December 18th, 2019 (via MMC).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Muhammad Ziyad Al Abd was killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Ma'arat Al Numan on December 18th, 2019 (via MMC).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Abd Al Razzaq was killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Ma'arat Al Numan on December 18th, 2019 (via MMC).
  • Damage in a medical facility affiliated with Violet Organization by alleged Syrian regime shelling, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights (via SN4HR).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ma'arat Al Numan on December 18th, 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ma'arat Al Numan on December 18th, 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ma'arat Al Numan on December 18th, 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • Abd Al Razzaq was killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Ma'arat Al Numan on December 18th, 2019 (via Oula Al Assad).

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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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

Sources (21) [ collapse]