Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS706

Incident date

March 4, 2016

Location

الصوانة, Sawaneh, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.76986, 37.55804 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between nine and 11 civilians were killed in airstrikes on Sawaneh according to local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

Shaam News Network reported: “Russian aviation has committed a massacre after midnight last night against civilians in the town of Sawana, southwestern city of Palmyra, eastern Homs, and claimed the lives of 11 martyrs and almost 50 wounded.”

ARA also put the death toll at 11, adding that “among the dead were two brothers who moved to the city of Palmyra recently, Basil Arif al-Khoja and Obeid Arif al-Khoja.”

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights said that at least seven died in regime shelling.

Meanwhile, the Violations Documentation Center identified nine victims.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Basel Aaref al-Khawaja
Adult male killed
Ubeid Aaref al-Khawaja
Adult male killed

Family members (3)

Ghassan al-Salame
Adult male killed
Isa Ghassan al-Salame
Adult male killed
Wife of Isa Ghassan al-Salame
Adult female killed

Family members (2)

Maawiya Thiban al-Aayed
Adult male killed
Wife of Maawiya Thiban al-Aayed
Adult female killed

The victims were named as:

Emad Awad al-Faraj
Adult male killed
Mohammad Abdulla al-Mhawesh
Adult male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Sawaneh (الصوانة), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.76986, 37.55804. 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
    9 – 11
  • (2 women5 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    50
  • 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 (10) [ 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 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
    9 – 11
  • (2 women5 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    50
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]