Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS528

Incident date

February 2, 2016

Location

برج قاعي, Burj Kai, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.88447, 36.5773916 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between seven and nine victims, including up four women and up to four children were killed – and several others injured – and several injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on the village of Burj Kai according to multiple sources.

Shaam News Network initially reported that three Russian warplanes launched rocket attacks on several villages in the countryside of Homs, and that the focus of the bombardment was Burj Kai. It initially put the death toll at five, but a subsequent report said seven died in the village.

The SMART News Agency, in a video linked from a Violations Documentation Center listing, also put the death toll at seven and blamed Russia. The distressing footage depicts casualties and includes interviews with witnesses.

In an initial report, the Syrian Network for Human Rights said the Assad regime was responsible and put the number killed at seven including including three children and four women. However, it then changed position and said that “alleged Russian warplanes” shelled the village, killing eight including four women and four children.

Six victims of “Russian air forces shelling,” including two children and four women, were named by the Violations Documentation Center.

The deaths of two additional victims, reportedly members of the Syrian Red Crescent, were initially associated by the VDC with the strikes. One of them, Mohammad Saleh Barbaneh, is no longer listed. The second, Abdulkareem Kheir Allah is recorded as an adult, male and his entry links to a video of the strikes on Burj Kai.

A 9th victim was named by the Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies as Shaheed Reem Jenin Neehan. This may be Reem Nahan.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult female Named by VDC killed
Adult female Named by VDC killed
Adult female Named by VDC killed
Child female Named by VDC killed
Adult female Named by VDC killed
Adult male Named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 9
  • (2–4 children4 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (9) [ collapse]

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.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 9
  • (2–4 children4 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (9) [ collapse]