Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS654

Incident date

February 22, 2016

Location

حتلا, Hatla, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.34169, 40.19897 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and six civilians including one or two children and one woman died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Hatla, according to multiple local sources – with some reporting that all six victims were from the same family.

According to Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently, Russian warplanes carried out two raids. LCCSY put the death toll at two including one woman, killed in strikes “believed to be Russian”. Deirezzor and Deir Free said three non-combatants died in a Russian strike, while Al Jazeera said two civilians died in a Russian strike – one of whom was a child. Other sources, including Halab Today, put the death toll higher, at four – including two children – and also attributed the incident to Russia. Zamanmasdar reported that four civilians from the same family died and six others were wounded.

RFS said that “about six” were killed, while Najwa Alqusir and Jisr TV said that a family of six died – both sources blamed Russia.

One victim (a child) was named by the Violations Documentation Centre.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Child male Listed by VDC killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hatla (حتلا), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.34169, 40.19897. 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
    2 – 6
  • (1–2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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 (27) [ 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 17th – February 29th.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (1–2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]