Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS451

Incident date

January 23, 2016

Location

خشام, Khusham, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.3020098, 40.2914143 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 61 and 90 civilians including two women and 11 children were killed – and between 40 and 100 others injured – in airstrikes on Khusham, according to multiple sources. While three of the five sources say that Russia was responsible for the attack, there was some uncertainty from the Syrian Network for Human Rights whether Russia or the regime were to blame.

Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently reported that Russian aircraft targeted the centre of the village of Khusham, near the “clinic of Sushi Mleihan“. They published eight reports in which they named some of those killed and documented the rising death toll, which they finally put at 90, with more than 100 wounded.

The Shaam News Network also said that Russia carried out the raids, killing “at least 50 civilians” and injuring dozens more. They said that warplanes shelled several neighbourhoods, causing widespread destruction to civilian property including shops. But a subsequent report by SNN – referring to a report by the Syrian Network for Human Rights – said that the death toll rose to at least 61 including 11 children and two women who were killed when “suspected Russian warplanes” fired four missiles.

In confused reporting, the Syrian Network for Human Rights initially said Russian warplanes killed 61 and wounded nearly 40 others when four missiles were launched on Khusham. But two subsequent reports said it was not clear whether Russia or the Assad regime were responsible. However, a final report on February 5 once more blamed Russia, again putting the death toll at 61.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 33 non-combatants died, but the Observatory did not say who the “warplanes” belonged to.” They added that the death toll was likely to rise as many people were in a critical condition.

26 victims (killed “in a massacre due to Russian air forces shelling“) were named by the Violations Documentation Centre including one Unidentified male child.

Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently named another 41 victims, including 4 members of a refugee family from Homs.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

  • Ghazi al Doulab Adult male named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • The wife of Ghazi al Doulab Adult female named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed

Family members (2)

  • Darik Khudar Al Subkhan Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Mohammad Darik Khudar Al Subkhan Age unknown male named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed

Family members (3)

  • Shawwakh Al Shalash Al Jabr Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Abd Shawwakh Al Shalash Al Jabr Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • The son of Rakan Hasan Al Shalash al Jabr Child male named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed

Family members (7)

Family members (2)

Family members (2)

Family members (2)

Family members (3)

Family members (4)

Family members (3)

  • Mohammad Ahmad Alwan Age unknown male named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Jibreel Al Said Khalaf Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Mohammad Al Ahmad Age unknown male from the family of Alwan – abu Hamam, named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • The son of Mohammad al Nouri Age unknown male named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Ali Manzil Al Zakari Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Ammar Mohammad Al Ismail Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Ali Khalaf al Aoued Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Ali Abdullah Tabini Al Hamad Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Mohammad Saddouk Al Hammoud Age unknown male named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Turki Ramadan Al Saleh Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Hussein Hassani Al Kalikal Age unknown from Marat, named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Abboud Al Badrani Age unknown a refugee from Marat, named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Zai’yan Al Dahl Al Dibbe Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Mu’az Hasan Ali al Ahmad Al Habbash Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Eid Zai’m Salman Hamad Al A’wwad Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Abd Al Wahab Jamal Mustafa Hamida al Hayess Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Hussein Al Shalash Al Jabr Al Mulazem Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • The daughter of Mohamad A’kla Al Saleh Al Eid Child female named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • The son of Mohammad Al Ali Al Sarhan Age unknown male named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • The son of Hassan Ali Al A’feen Age unknown male named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Abdo Shei’bi Al Hamad Al Jawar Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • The daughter of Omar Hamada Al Ma’idi Age unknown female named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Mohammad Albua’bta Age unknown male named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Mohammad Issa Al Khalil Age unknown male named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
  • Hassan al-Habbash Adult male killed
  • Abdo Shueibi al-Jour Adult male killed
  • Ibraheem Eid Shlash Child killed
  • Eisa Aboud al-Khater Adult male killed
  • Mohammad Eisa Aboud al-Khater Adult male killed
  • Mohammad Abdullah al-Mleihan Adult male killed
  • Fares Ali al-Badran Adult male killed
  • Mohammad Abdullah al-Mleihan Adult male killed
  • Fares Ali al-Badran Adult male killed
  • Gebreil al-Sayad Adult male killed
  • Mohammad Ahmad al-Elwan Adult male killed
  • Taleea Hweijeh al-Omar Adult male killed
  • Mohammad Muhei Ali Ismaeil al-Shakkal Adult male killed
  • Aboud Hameid al-Obeid Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    61 – 90
  • (11 children2 women22 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    40–100
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A photo of Ghazi Al Doulab who was killed with his wife and two of his daughters in law and Tali’l Al Obeid in an alleged Russian strike on Khusham, January 23rd 2016. (via, Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Ibraheem Eid Shlash, killed in an alleged Russian raid on 23rd January 2016. (via, VDC)
  • The aftermath of an alleged airstrike from 23rd January 2016. (via, SOHR)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

In its military report published on 25th January, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last three days, January 22-24, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic performed 169 combat sorties engaging 484 objects of terrorists’ infrastructure…crews of Tu-22M3 long-range bombers performed 18 combat sorties from the territory of the Russian Federation in order to engage manpower and hardware of the ISIS near Deir ez-Zor on January 22-24. Flight range reached more than 2,000 kilometers.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    61 – 90
  • (11 children2 women22 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    40–100
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]