Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4278

Incident date

December 21, 2019

Location

الدير شرقي, Deir al Sharqi, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least two men and one woman were killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Deir al Sharqi, Idlib governorate, on December 21st, 2019, according to local sources. An unknown number of civilians was wounded.

The Syrian Civil Defence reported that “a man, an elderly man and a woman” were killed by Russian raids targeting the village. The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that one of the victims was Abdul Hadi al Hamoud, who was reportedly killed along his wife as Russian airstrikes hit their house. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the third victim was also a member of the same family.

A Facebook post from Mahmoud.bakkou added that Abdul Razzaq Muhammad Al-Hamoud was also killed in the attack. A fourth victim was named as Mohammed Al-Hamoud by a post by Nabdderalsharke.

According to @ShabhaPress, the victims were trying to move their belongings in order to flee to a less dangerous area. Step News Agency reported that, in addition to the three killed civilians, “others were wounded”.

According to @media_idlib, it took Civil Defense teams three attempts of searching the targeted location to find the bodies of the victims.

Syria TV reported that the strikes occurred “after midnight”. Wasim Alkhalaf put the times of the strikes at 05:36, 05:42, 05:51.

The majority of sources attributed the strikes to Russian forces. However, Alkhaleej Online blamed the strikes on the regime.

The incident occured after midnight.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Adult male killed along with his wife killed
Wife of Abdul Hadi al Hamoud
male killed
Abdul Razzaq Muhammad Al-Hamoud
killed
Mohammed Al-Hamoud
killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (25) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Abdul Hadi Al Hamoud was killed along with his wife in alleged Russian airstrikes on their house in Deir al Sharqi village, Idlib governorate, on December 21st, 2019 (via SNHR).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers searching for victims underneath the rubble after alleged Russian airstrikes on the village of Deir al Sharqi, Idlib governorate, on December 21st, 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers searching for victims underneath the rubble after alleged Russian airstrikes on the village of Deir al Sharqi, Idlib governorate, on December 21st, 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers searching for victims underneath the rubble after alleged Russian airstrikes on the village of Deir al Sharqi, Idlib governorate, on December 21st, 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers searching for victims underneath the rubble after alleged Russian airstrikes on the village of Deir al Sharqi, Idlib governorate, on December 21st, 2019 (via SCD on Facebook).

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
    3 – 4
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (25) [ collapse]