Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS539

Incident date

February 4, 2016

Location

حريتان, Hraytan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.287032, 37.08332 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and four civilians were killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Hraytan, according to local sources.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, three victims including a child died when “suspected Russian warplanes” fired missiles on Hraytan.

Shaam News Network published a distressing video showing “the reaction of a mother who finds her son’s remains” – but did not say whether the Assad regime or Russia were responsible for the attack, stating only that “the aim of publishing the video is not to shock the viewer but to document the crimes of Assad’s forces and his Russian allies.”

However, the video was linked by the Violations Documentation Center, who blamed Russia. Other footage published by The City of Hraytan showed the aftermath of alleged Russian raids.

The Syrian Press Center reported that Russian planes launched raids on “Baghdad Street” in Hraytan, killing three, and wounding “many,” including women and children.

Three victims were named by the Violations Documentation Center.

The Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies also listed three victims; two of them are Ahmad Othman Hamedia and Ibraheem Othman Hamedia. The other is named as Samir Ahmed Hamdaoui [who may be the same as Ahmad Othman Hamedi.]

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male Listed by VDC killed
Adult male Listed by VDC killed
Adult male Listed by VDC killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hraytan (حريتان), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.287032, 37.08332. 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
    3 – 4
  • (0–1 children3 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    DISTRESSING: a woman weeps over the body following an alleged Russian airstrike on Hraytan, Feb 4th.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

From February 4th – February 11th, Russia reported: “In the course of the last week, February 4-11, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 510 combat sorties engaging 1,888 terrorists’ objects in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah.“ It added: “Two powerful field commanders were liquidated in the Aleppo province.In the suburbs of Kalaz-Tahtani, a large illegal armed group with its commander, “Abu Maher” (“Farid Al-Misri”) was eliminated by an airstrike.The field commander “Abu Anas Al-Sham” from the Jaysh al-Sham terrorist group was liquidated in the territory of the same province.” It also said that “Russian aviation eliminated open ISIS oil storages in the Aleppo province.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (0–1 children3 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 (10) [ collapse]