Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS486

Incident date

January 28, 2016

Location

الغنطو, Al Ghantu, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.82179, 36.69605 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eleven civilians died including three women and seven children in alleged Russian raids on Al Ghantu, according to local sources.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “warplanes believed to be Russian” killed 11 civilians, including three women and seven children. They said that a man and his wife and three of their children were among those killed.

The Shaam News Network put the death toll at ten, with dozens more wounded and reported “massive destruction to civilian property” as the result of alleged Russian bombing. They posted a very disturbing video depicting casualties, including bodies that had been blown to pieces.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (6)

Child named by FreeSyria killed
Child named by FreeSyria killed
Child named by FreeSyria killed
Adult female named by FreeSyria killed
Age unknown named by FreeSyria killed
Child male named by FreeSyria killed

The victims were named as:

Child named by FreeSyria killed
Age unknown female named by FreeSyria killed
Child named by FreeSyria killed
Age unknown female named by FreeSyria killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Ghantu (الغنطو), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.82179, 36.69605. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 11
  • (7 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Seriously disturbing footage of injured civilians. Warning: video shows the remains of a civilians which are so badly damaged they are unidentifiable. (via, SNN)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The burial of deceased civilians following an alleged Russian raid on Al Ghantu. (via, Homs Media Centre)
  • The exact moment the alleged Russian raid hit Al Ghantu on 28th January 2016. (via, Media Office Gathering Rebels)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory…In the Vadi Kaddahat plain (Homs province), after the UAV confirmation of the data received from the Syrian governmental troops concerning a terrorists’ strong point, the object was engaged. Objective monitoring data registered destruction of two automobile vehicles with large-caliber machine guns and elimination of 10 militants.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 11
  • (7 children3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]