Airwars assessment
At least three civilians, including one to two women and a child, were killed and three to four others were injured in alleged Syrian Democratic Forces or Russian or regime strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that “three civilians, including a child and a woman, were killed on August 18 when Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) used a missile launcher to shell al Mazout Street in west Afrin city”. Radio Al Kul specified that two women and a man made up the three civilians that were killed in the strikes.
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also identified three civilians as being killed and added that others were also injured in the strikes but did not provide a number. However, Syrian Civil Defense put the injury toll at four but referred to this as being the “preliminary toll”.
@EdlibEmc1 did not provide a specific number of how many people were injured but reported that “dozens” were injured.
The strikes reportedly caused a nearby fuel station selling diesel to catch fire. Shaam News added that “activists broadcast scenes of the bombing and the rise of smoke columns resulting from the bombing and fires, while the civil defense teams worked to secure the place and put out the fires.”
According to Baladi News’ correspondent, the bombing “was concentrated near one of the camps in the city, which resulted in massive destruction of public and private properties” and @Almohrar1 pinpointed the location as “near Al-Shifa Hospital and Dersim in the city of Afrin”. @SyrianCoalition identified 13 shells as being used in the bombing.
The majority of sources attributed the strikes to the SDF, with Zaman Al Wasl referring to the source of the strikes as an area controlled by the SDF called the “Tal Rifaat pocket” and Radio Al Kul sourcing the strikes from “the village of Al-Alqamiya and the town of Deir Jamal”. However, the Syrian Civil Defense identified the strikes as originating from an area controlled by the SDF and regime while the North Press Agency attributed the strikes to Russian planes. Enab Baladi added that the SDF did not claim responsibility for the strikes.
The incident occured at approximately 2:30 pm local time.
Summary
Sources (39) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (39) [ collapse]
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White Helmets with one of the victims of the strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Network for Human Rights)
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Fires caused by the bombing of Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
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Fires caused by the bombing of Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
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White Helmets bring an injured civilian to an ambulance following strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
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Damage caused by strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
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Damage caused by strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
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Damage caused by strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
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Damage caused by strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
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Missile strikes and shelling of Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Macro Media Center)
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Missile strikes and shelling of Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Macro Media Centerl)
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Rocket shelling of Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by @Step_Agency)
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Huge fires in a gas station in the city of Afrin, north of Aleppo, as a result of the bombing of the city (Image posted by @mohmad_rasheed)
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Huge fires in a gas station in the city of Afrin, north of Aleppo, as a result of the bombing of the city (Image posted by @mohmad_rasheed)
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Huge fires in a gas station in the city of Afrin, north of Aleppo, as a result of the bombing of the city (Image posted by @mohmad_rasheed)
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Smoke from the shelling and the fires it caused in Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by @Alassaf1977)
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Smoke from the shelling and the fires it caused in Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by @Alassaf1977)
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Destruction and fires caused by the shelling of Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by @SyrianCoalition)
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Fires broke out from strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Radio Al Kul)
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Fires broke out from strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Radio Al Kul)
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Very graphic image of the body of one of the civilians killed in the bombing and fires in Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by @ibrahim78197182) -
Image of the body of one of the civilians killed in the bombing and fires in Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by @ibrahim78197182)
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Image of the body of one of the civilians killed in the bombing and fires in Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by @ibrahim78197182)
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Smoke rising from the fires caused by strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by @maamo_walid)
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Fires from the strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Afrin Mejilis)
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Rescue crews try to put out the fires from the strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Afrin Mejilis)
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Rescue crews try to put out the fires from the strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Afrin Mejilis)
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Rescue crews try to put out the fires from the strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Afrin Mejilis)
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Fires from the strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Afrin Mejilis)
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Smoke rising from the fires caused by strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Afrin News)
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Smoke rising from the fires caused by strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Afrin News)
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Smoke rising from the fires caused by strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Afrin News)
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Smoke rising from the fires caused by strikes on Afrin on August 18, 2021. (Image posted by Afrin News)