Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS699

Incident date

March 1, 2016

Location

المسطومة, Al Mastumah, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.8755, 36.62967 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One man and his granddaughter died in strikes on the village of Al Mastumah according to local sources – though these were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime, with only one report attributing the incident to Moscow.

Shaam News Network reported that “Activists in Idlib province documented the targeting of the town of Al-Mastumah south of the city of Idlib with three ballistic missiles sourced from Russian warships in the Mediterranean which killed the civilian Ahmed Al Ali and his granddaughter, a little girl. There were also many injuries among his family, who were taken to medical hospitals.

However, according to other sources this was an attack by the regime. The Syrian Network for Human Rights said that at least two victims including a child died when regime forces fired surface to surface missiles. Bansh City Coordinators posted a video (see below) titled: ‘A new breaking of the truce: 2 martyrs and 9 wounded following regime strikes on the village of al Mastouma in the Idlib countryside 1/3/2016’. This was also posted by the Syrian Network.

According to a tweet by the Smart News Agency the regime shelled around the village. RFS said Al Mastumah was targeted with three consecutive rockets and cluster bombs, but it was not clear whether Russia or the regime was responsible. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also mentioned the incident, but did not say who carried it out.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ahmad Al Ali
Adult male killed
Granddaughter of Ahmad Al Ali
Child female killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Mastumah (المسطومة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.8755, 36.62967. 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
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–9
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Idlib - Al Mastuma - wounded following alleged regime forces raids on the village with ground to ground missiles (via SN4HR)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Civilian casualty statements

Russian Military

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has published no known record of strikes in Syria for March 1st to March 30th.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–9
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]