Russian Military in Syria

In September 2015 Russian military forces intervened in Syria initially as part of a limited campaign against so-called Islamic State terrorists. This campaign turned into more substantive military support to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in his deadly fight with opposition groups, killing thousands of civilians in rebel-held areas. Operations came to an end with Assad’s fall in December 2024.

Airwars documented thousands of allegations of civilian harm from Russian strikes in Syria and produced research and reports on the conflict.

Airwars estimate of civilian deaths

4,338 – 6,384

Locally reported civilian deaths from declared or likely Russian Military actions in Syria for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by the Russian Military. These originate from 4,843 separate alleged incidents.

1,145 – 1,394
children likely killed
632 – 766
women likely killed
6,544
likely injured
3,435
named victims

Russian Military estimate of civilian deaths

0

Confirmed civilian deaths, from Russian Military actions in Syria, originating from 0 separate incidents of civilian harm.

civilians confirmed injured
Alleged deaths
15,282 – 24,392
Locally reported civilian deaths from Russian Military actions in Syria.
4,843 seperate alleged incidents
Confirmed or Fair
4,338 – 6,384
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by Russian Military
1,344 seperate alleged incidents
Weak
727 – 848
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Weak.
457 seperate alleged incidents
Contested
10,113 – 17,043
Civilian deaths for which the reporting is assessed by Airwars as Contested.
3,027 seperate alleged incidents
Discounted
104 – 117
Civilian deaths were Discounted by Airwars after assessment.
15 seperate alleged incidents
4809 incidents
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Incident Date Publication Date

Incident Date

23 September 2016

Incident Code

RS1320

Location

Salheen (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria
حي الصالحين
Local sources reported that five civilians were killed, and four injured, in an airstrike on the al Salheen neighbourhood of Aleppo. While most sources blamed Russia some reports said that the regime also carried out strikes in al Salheen on this day. A tweet from @AleppoAMC included graphic photographs of three wounded children and a…

Summary

Published
23 September 2016
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Incident Date

23 September 2016

Incident Code

RS1319

Location

Bab al Nayrab (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria
حي باب النيرب
Local and international media reported six civilians, including three or four children and one man named Mohammad Alloush, were killed in an air raid on the neighbourhood of Bab al Nayrab, which according to CNN and Sky News Arabia struck a water pumping station which supplied 250 thousand people in eastern Aleppo. Geroun News said…

Summary

Published
23 September 2016
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Incident Date

23 September 2016

Incident Code

RS1318

Location

Marjah (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria
حي ‏المرجة‬
Local media reported that five or six civilians from the same family were killed by Russian warplanes in al Marja, Aleppo. Halab News reported identified four fatalities by name and added that an unidentified baby also was among the casualties. Multiple sources claimed that the dead were from the same family, including @ShahbaPress, @shbabRevolution, @ALAMAWI, @HNMNEWS,…

Summary

Published
23 September 2016
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Incident Date

23 September 2016

Incident Code

RS1317

Location

Sukkari (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria
حي السكري
According to local media, a man named Mohammad Houri and an unidentified woman were killed, along with as many as 11 others, with dozens more wounded, by cluster bombs striking the al Sukkari neighbourhood in Aleppo. Some reports said the regime struck the neighbourhood, while others implicated Russian forces. Syrians News claimed the most casualties,…

Summary

Published
23 September 2016
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Incident Date

23 September 2016

Incident Code

RS1316

Location

Al Mowasalat, Aleppo, Syria
المواصلات
Two children and a man were killed by airstrikes in the al Mowasalat neighbourhood, local media reported. The strikes were reportedly part of a larger set of attacks with cluster bombs and phosphorus on multiple Aleppo neighbourhoods and were attributed both to the Syrian regime and to Russian aircraft. Up to five civilians were wounded…

Summary

Published
23 September 2016
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Incident Date

23 September 2016

Incident Code

RS1315

Location

Tareeq al-Bab (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria
حي طريق الباب
Local media reported between two and nine civilians were killed and several others injured by a bombing on residential buildings in the Tareeq al Bab neighbourhood in Aleppo - though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Assad regime was responsible. Some outlets reported napalm was used in the bombings, which were attributed…

Summary

Published
23 September 2016
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