Incident Code

RS728

Location

السخنة, As Sukhnah, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.8848748, 38.8711739
Accuracy: Town

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: R643)

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.

Victims

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

Invidivuals

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

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Civilians reported killed
15–19
1 Woman, 8 Men
Civilians reported injured
20

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.

Military Statements

Russian Military Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Russian Military
Russian Military position on incident
Not yet assessed
Russian Military Strike Report
Russia has published no known record of strikes in Syria for March 1st to March 30th.

Media From Sources (3)