Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS728

Incident date

March 11, 2016

Location

السخنة, As Sukhnah, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.8848748, 38.8711739 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 15 and 19 civilians died in an alleged airstrikes on a public bus in Palmyra,  according to local sources.

According to Alarby, Homs Media Center and Shaam News, 15 died and 20 more were injured when Russian warplanes targeted a bus on the road from Palmyra to Raqqa. Eldorar reported that Russia continued to carry out intense raids on the city, “one of which targeted a civilian bus on the road between Palmyra and Raqqa”.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights also referred to regime forces targeting the city, and then to “warplanes” (which they don’t identify) bombing “the road between the city of Palmyra and the town of Sukhna in Homs, which hit a bus carrying passengers who were on their way from the city of Raqqa to Damascus”. Shaam News Network reported: “15 civilians were killed and about 20 wounded on Friday in the bombing of a plane belonging to the Russian aggression on a civilian bus near Palmyra.”

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently suggested that the incident may have occurred on March 11th: “Yesterday warplanes targeted a coach heading from Raqqa to Damascus which led to the death of 15 people from Raqqa.” It did not say who was responsible. The Violations Documentation Center listed eight adults as victims of a Russian strike on a bus carrying passengers between Raqqa and Damascus.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Fawaz al-Haddawi al-Fares
Adult male killed
Son of Fawaz al-Haddawi al-Fares 1
Adult male killed
Son of Fawaz al-Haddawi al-Fares 2
Adult male killed

Family members (2)

Saji Mousa Khuder al-Methyab
Adult male killed
Wife of Saji Mousa Khuder al-Methyab
Adult female killed

The victims were named as:

Yasser al-Hbeish
Adult male killed
Melhem Fares al-Mohammad al-Assad
Adult male killed
Mohammad Al Khodar
Age unknown male killed
Abd al Qader al Ibrahim
Age unknown male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of As Sukhnah (السخنة), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.8848748, 38.8711739. 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
    15 – 19
  • (1 woman8 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Yasser al Habish, who died when warplanes struck a coach traveling from Raqqa to Damascus, March 11/12th (via RBSS)
  • Saji Moussa, victim of the alleged Russian strikes targeting a bus on the road from Palmyra to Raqqa (via Raqqa is being slaughtered silently Facebook)
  • Abd al Kader Al Ibrahim, victim of the alleged Russian airstrikes targeting a bus on the road from Palmyra to Raqqa (via Raqqa is being slaughtered silently Facebook)

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.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15 – 19
  • (1 woman8 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • 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 (21) [ collapse]