Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS551

Incident date

February 5, 2016

Location

تلبيسة, Talbisah, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.840505, 36.72922 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians included one child died in raids on Talbiseh, according to local sources. While the majority alleged that Russia was responsible, one source – Smart – says the deaths occurred as the result of shelling by Assad regime artillery.

In a news roundup, Shaam News Network reported that “Russian warplanes have been carrying out nightly raids on Talbissa which has led to the fall of a number of martyrs and wounded among civilians.

The Violations Documentation Center linked to a video published by Talbissa which showed a wrapped body. The voice in the footage repeats the title: “Talbissa 5/2/2016 the martyr Khattab Al Ghafri following Russian raids.

Step News Agency reported: “Russian warplanes launched about 20 airstrikes targeting the neighborhood of Talbissah during the night from one o’clock until three in the morning.” They said that four civilians including a child died and more were injured.

Three victims were named by the Violations Documentation Center.

Damascus Human Rights Center named one additional victim of a Russian strike.

United Office of Rastan said that the child Malak Abudl Qadir (Taqtaq) was “found beside her house. She was killed as a result of Russian warplanes targeting her house, bringing the total number of martyrs to four as a result of intensive Russian raids.”

According to Syrian Press Center, Russia carried out more than 20 raids – including use of cluster bombs – targeting civilian homes – which killed three civilians and injured dozens more.

The voice over in a video published by the Shaam News Network says “cluster bombs are exploding in the Homs countryside from Russian airstrikes.”

However, one source, Smart blamed the regime, saying that they shelled Talbiseh with artillery from their villages of Najmeh and Musharrafah.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male Listed by Violations Documentation Center killed
Adult male Listed by Violations Documentation Center killed
Child female Listed by Violations Documentation Center killed
Abdullah Munir Alloush
Age unknown male Listed by Damascus Human Rights Center killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (1 child3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Footage showing strikes on Talbiseh, Feb 5th.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image of one of the alleged victims (via Syrianpc)

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: “During air duty mission, Su-25 attack aircraft detected 3 hardware columns transporting militants, armament and munitions along the highway Al-Qaryatayn – Homs. The strike resulted in elimination of 9 heavy trucks with munitions and more than 40 militants.“

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (1 child3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (12) [ collapse]