Incident Code

RS856

Location

إدلب, Idlib, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.93062, 36.63393
Accuracy: City

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

(Previous Incident Code: R763)

Between five and 50 non-combatants including two women died and up to 150 more were injured in multiple airstrikes on different targets in the city of Idlib, according to local media – though reports were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Syrian regime.

LCCSY attributed the incident to Russia, with dozens of civilians killed and wounded. It listed the struck areas as: “Shamaat roundabout, Shuaib Mosque, Amn Dawla roundabout, Yehia Dahnin school, vegetables marketplace, Mujamaa region, and Carlton Hotel.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights did not initially identify the “warplanes” responsible, but said that nine civilians including two women died in “about 10 strikes targeting the Shoaib mosque area and several other areas in the city of Idlib”. It added that the death toll was expected to rise because some of the wounded were in a critical condition.

However, a subsequent SO4HR video report said that the warplanes were “believed to be Russian”.

A later report said that there had been “some 10 strikes targeting Shoaib mosque” alone.

The Shaam News Network referred only to “warplanes” carrying out “tens of strikes with cluster bombs“, putting the death toll at at least five with many more wounded.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the regime was to blame – killing three civilians when warplanes fired on a “grocery and carpet market.

The Syrian network for Human Rights blamed the “regime and its allies”, adding that one of the targets was “Yahya Dehneen school”, with the strike partially destroys the fence”.

Syria Direct put the death toll as high as 50, with 150 others injured, though it didn’t identify the warplanes responsible. It reported that “the raids targeted civilian sites, including residential buildings and a mosque and a football stadium, in addition to the two main hospitals.”

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Civilians reported killed
5–50
2 Women
Civilians reported injured
2–150

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Idlib (إدلب), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.93062, 36.63393. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

Unknown Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Unknown
Unknown position on incident
Not yet assessed
Unknown Strike Report
Russia has not reported any strikes between June 1st – 31st 2016.
Syrian Regime Assessment
Suspected belligerent
Syrian Regime
Syrian Regime position on incident
Not yet assessed

Media From Sources (13)