Incident Code

RS4491

Location

جنوب مدينة ادلب, Idlib city (south), Idlib, Syria

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: R4250)

The death of at least one child and the wounding of civilians was reported on February 27th, 2020 the result of an alleged Russian or regime airstrike on the outskirts of Idlib. The brothers were displaced from the city of Kafranbel and relocated to a rural area of Idlib.

A post from Bsklaa16 noted that the boys killed were named Ghad Mustafa Al-Qadah and Majd.  Ghad was killed and his brother was wounded as, according to this post, Sukhoi-24 warplanes used vacuum missiles. Posts from Shohada Baskal, Khaledsy2, and Ayham.alkarjy referenced the “martyrdom of the child”, acknowledging the death of Ghad Mustafa Al-Qadah. Shaam News reported that alleged Russian warcraft “repeated the shelling on the city several times”. Smart News later quoted Abdul Razzaq Ghafir, an administrator working with local hospitals, as saying “regime’s warplanes” specifically struck this neighborhood in Idlib and in addition to the dead child, seven civilians were wounded. Reports of the dead and wounded continued to conflict as Step Agency reported four wounded civilians, and the Syrian center for Human Rights reported that both brothers were killed.

Local witnesses reported that civilian areas outside of Idlib, including those with displaced individuals, were struck by warplanes.

Both news agencies including Step and the Syrian Center for Human Rights as well as local witnesses attributed this attack to Russian warplanes while Smart News attributed the incident to the regime.

Victims

Family members (2)

Child male killed
Child male killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Strike Type
Airstrike
Strike Status
Contested strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Civilians reported killed
1–2
1–2 Children
Civilians reported injured
4–7

Military Statements

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