Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4474

Incident date

February 23, 2020

Location

كصنفرة, Kasanfra, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Between three and five people were reported injured as a result of alleged Russian and/or Regime airstrikes or artillery shelling on the vicinity of the town of Kansafra in the southern countryside of Idlib on February 23, 2020.

With regards to civilian harm, Smart News said that “three people were wounded as a result of missile strikes by a Russian warplane on the village of Kansafra” and that “civil defense teams helped them to nearby medical points for treatment.” Al Araby reported that five people sustained injuries and according to a post of the Al Hadath news channel, “five men were injured as a result of the Russian air strikes on the town of Kansafra.” None of the sources explicitly refer to those wounded as either civilians or militants.

Step Agency wrote that “The warplanes of the Syrian regime and its Russian ally also targeted Turkish points in Kansafra and the town of Al-Bara, killing and wounding Turkish soldiers, and destroying military vehicles.” It is unclear if this is the same incident that resulted in wounded men.

Sources were conflicted as to who was responsible for the strike. Multiple sources, including @EyadHoms20 and @Baladinetwork attributed the attack to the Russian Armed forces. A correspondent of Almohra Media reported that Russian warplanes targeted the vicinity of Kansafra with vacuum missiles. However, KMC claimed that Regime forces stationed in Tel As carried out artillery bombardments on Kansafra. Step News Agency referred to both Russian and Regime forces as having carried out the strike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–5
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2
  • Belligerents reported injured
    2

Sources (11) [ collapse]

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–5
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2
  • Belligerents reported injured
    2

Sources (11) [ collapse]