Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS577

Incident date

February 9, 2016

Location

كفر كلبين‎, Kafr Kalbeen, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.556067, 37.089434 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and 20 civilians including one child died in airstrikes on Kafr Kalbeen, according to local sources – though they are conflicted or unclear as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

Shaam News Network said there had been “a systematic campaign of shelling Aleppo, where aircraft Russian aggression continue to be implemented to support Assad’s forces and Shi’ite militias supporting them and which is now leading the military operations in the countryside of Aleppo.”

It reported “dozens of raids today launched by Russian aggression on northern towns of Aleppo which left more than thirty martyrs in a number of areas Kfar Kheshr and Kafrkalbeen in violent raids and rocket spatial cluster in addition to dozens of air raids on Tal Rifa’at, Mare’ and Ain Da’na.” SNN added that “the towns of Kafr Kalbeen and Ain Da’na and Kafr Shakher have seen a  large migration towards the Syrian border with Turkey after air escalation today to increase the numbers of displaced people and increase the suffering of thousands of families that have become stretched out roads and agricultural lands.”

However, in confused reporting, the Syrian Network for Human Rights published a headline that said a child had been killed by regime shelling, but went on to say that the child died in an alleged Russian strike: “The child Sha’aban Swaidan, age 13, died in suspected Russian warplanes missiles fired on Kafr Kalbein village in Aleppo governorate, February 9, 2016.

According to the White Helmets, “warplanes” (they did not say who they belonged to) carried out five raids targeting the villages of Kafr Kalbeen and Kafr Khasher, leading to the death of 20 people, most of whom were women and children. They added that there had been “great destruction of buildings“. Their report was also dated February 10, one day off the alleged incident.

Smart reported that Russian carried out raids on “Tal Rifaat and the villages of Kafr Kalbeen and Kafr Hasher Ayn Degnah, killing seven civilians and wounding 30 others“.

Ahrar A’zaz published footage is a five-year-old girl, Mayssam, being treated after she was hit in the head by shrapnel after an alleged Russian strike.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 20
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Ahrar A'zaz showing Mayssam being treated after having been hit by shrapnel

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.“

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 20
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]