Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS4496

Incident date

March 1, 2020

Location

باتنتة, Batneta, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two to four civilians, including one child, were killed and five others, including two women, were injured as a result of an alleged Russian or Syrian Regime airstrike on agricultural lands in the vicinity of Batenta village near Idlib on the morning of March 1st 2020 according to local sources.

Almost all of the sources attributed the attack to Russian forces, however the Syrian Network of Human Rights (SNHR) stated that  “Syrian regime fixed- wing warplanes” fired the missiles on the village.

Ahmed Sheikho, the director of the media office of the Syrian Civil Defense in Idlib, said in a statement that four civilians, including a child, were killed and five others, including two women, were wounded as a result of a raid by Russian warplanes targeting agricultural lands in the vicinity of Batenta village, north of Idlib. The civil defense team worked to rescue the injured and retrieve the dead bodies.

While most of the sources reported the death of 4 civilians, Edlib Media Center mentioned that the airstrike killed 2 people, and Syrian Network for Human Rights stated on the day following the attack that 3 civilians, including one child, were killed.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on agricultural lands near the village of Batneta, Idlib governorate, on March 1st, 2020 (via SCD).
  • Site after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on agricultural lands near the village of Batneta, Idlib governorate, on March 1st, 2020 (via EMC).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on agricultural lands near the village of Batneta Idlib governorate, on March 1st, 2020 (via EMC).
  • The Civil defense checks the remnants of the weapon used in the attack near the village of Batenta, north of Idlib. March 01, 2020 (Syrian Civil Defense)
  • The Civil defense checks the remnants of the weapon used in the attack near the village of Batenta, north of Idlib. March 01, 2020 (Idlib Gate)

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
    2 – 4
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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

Sources (10) [ collapse]