Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4304

Incident date

January 15, 2020

Location

اريحا, Ariha, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Seven civilians, including women and children, were injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on a popular market place in the city of Ariha, Idlib governorate, on January 15th, 2020, according to local sources. Civilian homes and shops were severely damaged.

@SyrianCoalition tweeted that Russia and the Assad regime did not abide by the declared truce, and they continue to terrorize civilians. Aerial bombing of #Ariha in Idlib outskirts”. SMART News Agency reported that “seven civilians, including children, were injured as a result of raids by the regime’s warplanes on a popular market in the city of Ariha, near Idlib, in the north of the country, on Wednesday, January 15, 2020, which also caused damage to civilian homes and shops”. The Syrian Civil Defence in Idlib also reported seven wounded, and that civilians were being pulled out of the rubble.

@3rj5oPnn2XeKaYg added that “children, elderly, and women” were among the casualties.

According to Ariha Today, the warplanes fired vacuum missiles, writing in another Facebook post that multiple missiles were fired upon the main market of the city at once. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the Syrian regime fired missiles near Banat Ariha School, located near the Al Jadid Market in the middle of the city, partially destroying the school’s fence.

@SyrianCoalition blamed both the Syrian regime as well as Russian forces for the incident, whereas Myasar Al Hadidi (@so_ria98) reported that Russian warplanes had been responsible for the airstrikes. Shaam News reported that Russian MiG-23 warplanes struck the market.

These strikes occurred four days after a ceasefire that Russia agreed to.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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 (29) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (36) [ collapse]

  • A man removing rubble after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha, Idlib governorate, on January 15th, 2020 (via MMC).
  • Damage after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha, Idlib governorate, on January 15th, 2020 (via MMC).
  • Damage after an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the city of Ariha, Idlib governorate, on January 15th, 2020 (via MMC).
  • Damage after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha, Idlib governorate, on January 15th, 2020 (via MMC).
  • Damage after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha, Idlib governorate, on January 15th, 2020 (via MMC).
  • Men removing rubble after an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the city of Ariha, Idlib governorate, on January 15th, 2020 (via @SyrianCoalition).
  • Men removing rubble after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha, Idlib governorate, on January 15th, 2020 (via @SyrianCoalition).
  • A woman volunteering for the Syrian Civil Defence in Idlib removing rubble from the site after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha, on January 15th, 2020 (via SCD Idlib).
  • Two female volunteers of the Syrian Civil Defence in the aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha, on January 15th, 2020 (via SCD Idlib).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers and what seem to be civilians removing rubble after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha, on January 15th, 2020 (via SCD Idlib).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers helping a woman and children get into an ambulance after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha, on January 15th, 2020 (via SCD Idlib).
  • Damage after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha, on January 15th, 2020 (via Ariha Today).
  • Photos reportedly made by an surveillance camera monitoring the moment alleged Russian or Syrian regime warplanes targeted the city of Ariha on January 15th, 2020 (via Ariha Today).
  • Photo showing the damage to buildings in Ariha after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on January 15th, 2020 (via Ariha Today).
  • The aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Ariha on January 15th, 2020 (via EMC).
  • Damage after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha on January 15th, 2020 (via EMC).
  • People walking on a street that was just targeted in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Ariha on January 15th, 2020 (via EMC).
  • Rubble after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Ariha on January 15th, 2020 (via EMC).
  • A man and Syrian Civil Defence volunteer removing rubble after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha on January 15th, 2020 (copyright SMART News Agency, published in the public interest).
  • A child photographed in the aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha on January 15th, 2020 (copyright SMART News Agency, published in the public interest).
  • A Syrian Civil Defence volunteer photographed in the aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha on January 15th, 2020 (copyright SMART News Agency, published in the public interest).
  • Civilians on the site after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha on January 15th, 2020 (copyright SMART News Agency, published in the public interest).
  • Civilians and Syrian Civil Defence volunteers removing rubble after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Ariha on January 15th, 2020 (copyright SMART News Agency, published in the public interest).
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Ariha on January 15, 2020. (Image posted by @Tamer_Turkmane)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Ariha on January 15, 2020. (Image posted by @Tamer_Turkmane)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Ariha on January 15, 2020. (Image posted by @Tamer_Turkmane)
  • Strikes on Ariha on January 15, 2020. (Image posted by @mahmoodtalha22)
  • White Helmets respond to alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Ariha on January 15, 2020. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • White Helmets respond to alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Ariha on January 15, 2020. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • White Helmets respond to alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Ariha on January 15, 2020. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)

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 infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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 (29) [ collapse]