Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS974

Incident date

July 8, 2016

Location

دركوش, Darkoush, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.9916361, 36.3938856 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Twenty six named civilians including a child and eight women died and up to 70 more were wounded in an airstrike on a residential neighbourhood and popular market in Darkoush, according to local media – though sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were to blame. The strike reportedly took place at midday on July 8th.

Sources disputed claims over the aircraft used in this attack. Alan TV and Syrian PC reported that Russian warships and missiles were used. Ara News claims that missiles were fired from warships and warplanes followed with shelling. Both DW News and BBC Arabic reported shelling by warplanes.

Syrian Network for Human rights claimed that both Russian and Assad regime warplanes were responsible for the damage, whereas Syrian Newsdesk blamed only Russia.

Halab Today reported sighting the use of “long ranging missiles”.

Numerous sources reported the names of the dead which included a list compiled by Darkoush Hospital where the majority of the casualties and wounded civilians went.

A further 35-70 people were wounded in the airstrike. Syrian Newsdesk reported that the numbers of wounded were so high that “medical points in neighbouring areas asked people to donate blood”.

According to Shaam News Network, Assad regime warplanes did not only target Darkoush, but on the same day “targeted Kfrcharim city in the north-west of Idlib, which resulted in the fall of martyrs and wounded a number of civilians.”

Sambo1982ksa put the death toll as high as 30, and also blamed Russia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Hasna’a Shikh Mohammed
Age unknown female from Armanaz killed
Mahmood Khudro Mohammed
Age unknown male from Armanaz killed

Family members (2)

Asama’a Zanbakli
Age unknown female from Maarat Al-Nu'man killed
Afra’a Zanbakli
Age unknown female from Maarat Al-Nu'man killed

Family members (3)

Ahmad ABdullah Sha’rawi
Age unknown male from Maarat Al-Nu'man killed
Mohammed Sha’rawi
Age unknown male from Maarat Al-Nu'man killed
Ibrahim Sha’rawi
Age unknown male from Maarat Al-Nu'man killed

The victims were named as:

Ameen Umran
Age unknown male from Darkoush killed
Abdullah Hashmo
Age unknown male from Ariha killed
Youssef Jamal Al-Deen
Age unknown male from Darkoush killed
Salwa Al-Sharawi
Age unknown female from Maarat Al-Nu'man killed
Maram Milshoo
Age unknown female from Maarat Al-Nu'man killed
Adeela Ma’tooq
Age unknown female from Ariha killed
Manal Sha’ar
Age unknown female from Idlib killed
Ali Al-Ali Al-Mutalak
Age unknown male from Aleppo, Al-Ees killed
Ahmad Al-shkih Taha
Age unknown male from Idlib killed
Khaled Basha
Age unknown male from Idlib killed
Mohammed Hassan
Age unknown male from Kafr Nabilm killed
Abdullah Ibrahim Fayez Safureya
Age unknown male from Darkoush killed
Qamar Al-Basha
Age unknown female from Idlib killed
Abdul-Aziz Bushnaq
Age unknown male from Hraytan killed
Abdullah Fayez Mohammed
Age unknown male killed
Fawzy Haitham Al-Kurdi
Age unknown male from Maarat Al Nu'man killed
Abdul-Salam Dawood
Age unknown male killed
Fatima Abdallah Sha’arawi
Age unknown female killed
Lina Milsho
3 months years old female killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Darkoush (دركوش), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.9916361, 36.3938856. 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
    26 – 30
  • (1 child8 women15 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    35–70
  • 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 (36) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (24) [ collapse]

  • The damage caused to the residential buildings in Darkoush, 8th July 2016. (via Syria Live Network tweet).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A tweet showing graphic images of victims, the source alleged Assad responsible (via @7aneen_alwajih)
  • Footage of the destruction in Darkoush after alleged airstrikes, the source alleged Russia responsible (Youtube via Alan TV)
  • A vehicle ablaze in Darkoush after strikes launched from suspected Russian warship (via Syrianpc)
  • Civilians tend to victims stuck under the rubble, after alleged Russian strikes launched from warships (via Ara news)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The Civil Defense use a digger to remove victims from a destroyed building in Darkoush (via BBC Arabic)
  • Vehicles and buildings in flames following alleged airstrikes on Darkoush (via DW news)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The youngest civilian killed in the alleged strikes, Lian Milsho, three months old (via Eithad press)
  • Distressing footage of victims and wounded following suspected Russian or Regime attacks on Darkoush (Youtube via Baladi News)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Injured civilian children in Darkoush, the aftermath of suspected attack from Russian warship (via syriahr)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian child under medical supervision following alleged airstrikes (via Smart)
  • Material destruction, the aftermath of alleged warship missiles (tweet by @Syriamubasher)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Injured civilians, including children, after suspected Russian strikes on Darkoush (tweet by @mozahim7171)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian child wounded by suspected Russian strikes (Tweet by @123Rania123) [Page no longer available - accessed via Airwars archive]
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian child covered in bandages, the aftermath of suspected Russian attacks on Darkoush (Tweet by @123Ranis123) [Page no longer available - accessed via Airwars archive]
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    People look after the wounded after a market in Darkoush was allegedly struck by Russian missiles (via @Sambo1982 ksa)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A market struck by Russia in rural Idlib, resulting in significant civilian harm (Tweet via @sambo1982ksa)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Very graphic images of civilian children killed and wounded in Darkoush (Tweet by @darkosh11)
  • A medic attempts to resuscitate one of the wounded in Darkoush (Tweet by @Alwasakuwait)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Injured and killed in the streets of Darkoush after suspected Russian attacks (Tweet by @7aneen_alwajih)
  • The names of those injured and killed in Darkoush, listed by the local hospital (Tweet by @sayedissa00)
  • Material destruction after alleged rocket strike in Darkoush (Youtube by Gift of the Givers Foundation)
  • Further material destruction in buildings in Darkoush (Youtube via Gift of the Givers Foundation)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage of severely wounded civilians in Darkoush (Youtube via Gift of the Givers Foundation)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between July 1st – 14th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    26 – 30
  • (1 child8 women15 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    35–70
  • 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 (36) [ collapse]