Incident Code

RS519

Location

معدان, Ma'adan, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.751055, 39.615398
Accuracy: City

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: R449)

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:

 

 

Victims

Invidivuals

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

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Civilians reported killed
10
1 Child, 2 Women, 7 Men

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.

Military Statements

Russian Military Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Russian Military
Russian Military position on incident
Not yet assessed
Russian Military Strike Report
Russia has published no known record of strikes in Syria from February 1st – February 3rd.

Media From Sources (3)