Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4309

Incident date

January 16, 2020

Location

قرية الزربة, Zorba village, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two civilians, one young girl and her mother, were injured due to airstrikes by Russian forces on the outskirts of the town of Zorba on January 16, 2021.

The Syrian Civil Defence tweeted that “a child and a woman were injured by air strikes on the outskirts of the town of Zerba” and that their team rescued the severely injured girl from underneath the rubble of her destroyed home in Zorba, south of Aleppo.

Local sources identified the second injured civilian as the rescued girl’s mother.

Stepnews noted that Russian aviation conducted strikes on January 16, 2020 causing a wave of displacement, due to the intensification of the airstrikes and shelling.

The majority of sources attributed the airstrikes to Russia or did not report on who was responsible. @Step_Agency identified vacuum missiles as being used in the airstrikes.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (20) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Al Zurba town in Aleppo on January 16th, 2020 (via MMC).
  • Syrian Civil Defense searching for survivors after an alleged Russian airstrike on Al Zurba town in Aleppo on January 16th, 2020 (via MMC).
  • Destruction caused by an alleged Russian airstrike on Al Zurba town in Aleppo on January 16th, 2020 (via MMC).
  • "Russian warplanes target the village of Khalsa in the southern countryside of Aleppo with an air raid" (Image posted by @fawaz_jwaid)
  • Destruction caused by strikes on the outskirts of the town of Zerba on January 16, 2020. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • White Helmets rescue a girl injured in strikes on the outskirts of the town of Zerba on January 16, 2020. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Destruction caused by strikes on the outskirts of the town of Zerba on January 16, 2020. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • White Helmets rescue a girl injured in strikes on the outskirts of the town of Zerba on January 16, 2020. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Destruction caused by strikes on the outskirts of the town of Zerba on January 16, 2020. (Image posted by @Sy24ria)
  • Destruction caused by strikes on the outskirts of the town of Zerba on January 16, 2020. (Image posted by @Sy24ria)
  • Destruction caused by strikes on the outskirts of the town of Zerba on January 16, 2020. (Image posted by @Sy24ria)
  • Destruction caused by strikes on the outskirts of the town of Zerba on January 16, 2020. (Image posted by @Sy24ria)
  • White Helmets sort through the rubble after strikes on the outskirts of the town of Zerba on January 16, 2020. (Image posted by @ala_hacioglu)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (21) [ collapse]