Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS519

Incident date

February 1, 2016

Location

معدان, Ma'adan, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.751055, 39.615398 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Ten civilians including one child and two women were killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Ma’adan, according to local sources.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently reported that Russian airstrikes targeted the following areas of the town: “near Ma’adan garage; near Tah Kreiban school; near Al Farouq school [previously al Bourtoukala]“.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, six people, including a man and a woman, were killed “when warplanes bombed areas in the town of Ma’adan. The Observatory added that the death toll was expected to rise “because there is information about the death of 2 other citizen women, from one family.” It did not identify to whom the warplanes belonged.

In a contradictory initial online report, the Syrian Network for Human Rights in a headline stated “Massacre due to regime forces shelling on Ma’adan town in Raqqa governorate on February 1“. However, in the body of the post, SN4HR said at least five civilians including one child were killed when “suspected Russian warplanes” launched missiles on Ma’adan.

subsequent report published by SN4HR explicitly alleged that Russian warplanes dropped cluster munitions in Ma’adan, killing “10 individuals including a child and two women.” 

Eight victims were initially identified by Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, including 4 that were also listed by the Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies as killed by “indiscriminate” Russian aerial shelling in Ma’adan. Those initially listed by RBSS:

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmad al Nasser
Age unknown male Listed by RBSS killed
Jihad Al Nasser
Age unknown male Listed by RBSS killed
Ahmad Kamal
Age unknown male Listed by RBSS killed
The wife of Hussein Al Tared
Adult female Listed by RBSS killed
Mayzar al Shawish
Adult female Listed by RBSS killed
The mother of Mayzar al Shawish
Adult female Listed by RBSS killed
The son of Mayzar al Shawish
Age unknown male Listed by RBSS killed
Mahmoud Al Hayd
Adult male Listed by RBSS killed
Al Haj Ibrahim Al Thaher
70 years old male Listed by RBSS killed
Tarif Al Khalaf Al Harami
Age unknown male reportedly died later “due to wounds sustained in the strike on the town a few days ago“ killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Ma’adan (معدان), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.751055, 39.615398. 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
  • (1 child2 women7 men)
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Mayzar al Shawish, killed in an alleged Russian strike on Ma'adan, Feb 1st 9via Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently)
  • Image of Mahmoud al Haid
  • Aftermath of the airstrike

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has published no known record of strikes in Syria from February 1st – February 3rd.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (1 child2 women7 men)
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]