Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RS3266

Incident date

March 14, 2018

Location

حمورية, Hamouriya, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.528464, 36.389472 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a major incident, between 12 and 15 civilians including multiple members from several families were reported killed in alleged Russian or regime strikes on the town of Hamourya. There were also reports of the use of “toxic gases” in the attacks.

@Baraa_Abdul tweeted: The regime is targeting the town of Hamourya with toxic gases now and there are civilian victims

Helicopters committed a massacre in Hamourya and civilian victims are under the rubble. No one pulls them out or rescues the wounded among them”.

According to, @abazeid89: “The situation in Hamourya since yesterday is that Russia has burned and destroyed the city almost completely. Families remained under the basements and could not flee under the shelling towards the rest of Ghouta, some of them came out and were killed. A major assault to storm the city by Russian aviation continues, 5,000 civilians under cellars are threatened with extermination”.

@SiegeWatch noted: “Reports that a convoy of fleeing civilians was directly targeted by an airstrike. New chemical attack, chlorine suspected

“2/ For many in #Hamouriya #حمورية, today is quite literally doomsday. The SCD rescuers are overwhelmed and cannot reach the dead and dying. The town is being demolished.

“3/ Rough estimates that the Syrian government and its allies have bombed Hamouriya today w/ 200+ airstrikes, 100+ barrel bombs, and hundreds of other missiles and mortars. Chemical weapons (chlorine likely), incendiary weapons, and cluster munitions all used. Annihilation”.

Smart added that “One of the strikes targeted the Civil Defense Center in the town directly, which led to his departure from service due to the heavy damage to equipment and mechanisms. We were told that  teams were unable to document all the victims as a result of the destruction of the center”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Ibraheem al-Erbini
Adult male killed
Haytham Ibraheem al-Erbini
Child male killed
Safa Ibraheem al-Erbini
Child female
Khajo al-Erbini
Adult female killed
Amineh al-Erbini
Adult female

Family members (2)

Mohammad al-Naddaf
Adult male killed
Ammar al-Naddaf
Adult male killed

Family members (3)

Mohammad Mostafa Yasin
Child male killed
Obada Mostafa Yasin
Child male killed
Dania Zeno (mother of the two former children)
Adult female killed

The victims were named as:

Ahmad Hamdan
Adult male "Media activist and rebel"/ "reporter for Ghouta Media Center". killed
Mohammad al-Rihani
Adult male killed
Ahmad Issa
Adult male killed
Mohammad Khair Tomeh
Adult male killed
Ahmad al-Gemayel
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14 – 15
  • (4 children3 women8 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (32) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Two children, killed in airstrikes on Hamouriya, 14th March 2018. (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)
  • Ahmad Hamdan, killed in airstrikes on Hamouriya, 14th March 2018. (via Euphrates)
  • Ahmed Hamdan, killed in airstrikes on Hamouriya, 14th March 2018. (via Euphrates)
  • Translation: "Media activist and rebel Sadeq Ahmed Hamdan is a martyr today following the Russian bombardment on Hamourya city in Ghouta."
  • Translation: "Martyrdom of the Media (Ahmad Hamdan) As a result of air strikes that targeted residential neighborhoods in the town of # Hammourya"
  • Translation: "Ahmad al-Gemayel is a martyr in an air strike targeting Hamourya in Eastern Ghouta"

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    14 – 15
  • (4 children3 women8 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (32) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3265

Incident date

March 14, 2018

Location

زملكا, Zamalka, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5261, 36.35385 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Zamalka, according to local media.

@QUSAY_NOOR_reported:  “The town of Zalmalka was targeted with several high-explosive barrels on residential areas and many civilians were injured”.

@Doumarevolutio1 reported four raids.

According to the Step News Agency, “many civilians were killed and injured by a Russian air strike on the town of Zemlka in the eastern Ghouta.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Walid Anis Alzou
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded child following an alleged Russian airstrike on Zamalka, March 14th.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3264

Incident date

March 14, 2018

Location

حرستا, Harasta, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.55869, 36.36515 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilian males died in an alleged Russian or regime airstrike on Harasta, according to local media.

The Violations Documentation Centre listed three unidentified adult male civilians as killed by warplanes belonging to “Syrian government and affiliated militias”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Jihad Hassoun
Age unknown killed
Haj Abu Ismail Basala
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    "Photo from today in #Harasta shows the state of the only medical care available, after Syrian govt. & Russia systematically destroyed medical centers. ~ 20,000 civilians at immediate risk. Death toll could be very, very high."

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3263

Incident date

March 14, 2018

Location

عربين, Arbeen, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.538143, 36.364331 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported between eight and 12 civilians were killed in alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Arbeen. Sources reported barrel bombing by the regime and airstrikes by Russia.

The lowest death count was given as two. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that “two civilians were martyred due to rocket shelling in areas in the city of Arbeen”.

Four fatalities were named by the Violations Documentation Centre, who blamed barrel bombs by the “Syrian government and affiliated militias”.

SCDrifdimashq put the death toll at “seven civilians, including a woman”, nothing that there had been “10 raids on residential areas”.

In total, 12 fatalities were named.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Samir Al Zaghloul
Adult male killed
Abdul Rahman Al-Qalesh
Adult male killed
Ahmad Shati
Adult male killed
Omer al-Khateeb
Adult male killed
Subhiya Al Marji
Adult female killed
Abdul Aziz Sheikh Qweider
Age unknown male killed
Anas Al Shahrour
Age unknown male killed
Adnan Al Zaghloul
Age unknown male killed
Wael Kashka
Age unknown killed
Mazen Mullah
Age unknown killed
Ahmed Snow
Age unknown male killed
Ahmed Shety
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 12
  • (1 woman9–11 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 12
  • (1 woman9–11 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3262

Incident date

March 14, 2018

Location

قلعة المضيق, Qal’et Al Madik, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.409617, 36.390495 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians from one family were killed, including a man, a woman and two children, and others were injured, in alleged Russian airstrikes on Qal’et Al Madik, local media reported.

@bokraahla1984 tweeted: “Today, [March 14th] a good resident was killed with his wife, child and daughter, leaving in this life his eldest son, who did not exceed five years, after the Russian raids on the city.”

The White Helmets reported that “two air strikes on residential neighborhoods in  Qal`et Al Madik west of the city of Hama resulted in three martyrs and a number of wounded.The Civil Defense teams worked to target the targeted areas, recover the martyrs and help the injured to medical points.”

However, multiple sources named four civilians – a father, mother, and their two chidren – from the family of  Moawaffaq Rasheed Nasrallah as killed.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Moawaffaq Rasheed Nasrallah
Adult male killed
Raja`a Mohammed Nasrallah
Adult female killed
Khaled Moawaffaq Nasrallah
Child female killed
Jana Moawaffaq Nasralla
Child female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (2 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian casualties in the aftermath of airstrikes on Qal’et Al Madik, 14th March 2018. (via bokraahla1984)
  • Civilian casualties in the aftermath of airstrikes on Qal’et Al Madik, 14th March 2018. (via SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Moawaffaq Rasheed Nasrallah, killed in airstrikes on Qal’et Al Madik, 14h March 2018. (via Amer Badi`a Jadou`a)
  • Khaled Moawaffaq Nasrallah  and Jana Moawaffaq Nasrallah, killed in alleged Russia airstrikes on Qal’et Al Madik, 14h March 2018. (via SyriaCivilDefense)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (2 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3272

Incident date

March 14, 2018

Location

حفسرجة, Hafsarja, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.5816284, 36.9212293 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Smart news agency reported: “According to the civil defence, Russian warplanes targeted the village of Hafsarja (30 km north-west of the city of Idlib) with a raid that led to the killing of a civilian and wounding of four others, including a woman. The civil defence helped them to medical points.”

@ab_jarah tweeted: “A martyr and seven wounded, including women and children, in the village of Hafsarja west of Idlib due to several raids by the Russian air force”.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A crater in the ground following a raid on Hafsarja, March 14th (via Ryad Haj Yousef)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM121

Incident date

March 13, 2018

Location

Vicinity of Jamecco and Singulle, Middle Shabelle, Somalia

Geolocation

3.05, 45.48056 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A US airstrike killed 12 al Shabaab militants and wounded another 15 members as Jamecco, Middle Shabelle was struck, AFRICOM reported.

The US carried had carried out ten strikes since the start of the year, a US Africa Command spokesperson confirmed to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ) at the start of April, which had recorded only six strikes based on press releases from the Command.

The spokesperson provided details on the strikes which BIJ had not recorded. One of these took place on March 13th, and targeted al Shabaab fighters in the vicinity of Jamecco. “We assess at this time that 12 terrorists were killed in this strike and that 15 were wounded,” the spokesperson said. As of now, there are no reports of civilian harm.

CNN did however report the event at the time, with defense correspondent Ryan Browne noting that “A US official tells CNN that over 20 al-Shabaab fighters were targeted, potentially making Tuesday’s strike one of the bigger strikes conducted by US forces in Somalia.”

In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM  confirmed it had struck on this date what it says were “al-Shabaab Fighters”, in the vicinity of Singulle, Somalia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    12
  • Belligerents reported injured
    15

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that the strike took place in the vicinity of the village Jamecco for which the coordinates are: 3.05, 45.48056. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US Forces

Via email from Africom to BIJ, April 4th, 2018:

“U.S. forces conducted an airstrike on March 13 targeting al-Shabaab fighters in the vicinity of Jamecco, Somalia. We assess at this time that 12 terrorists were killed in this strike and that 15 were wounded.”

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    12
  • Belligerents reported injured
    15

Incident Code

RS3256

Incident date

March 13, 2018

Location

مركز 103 للدفاع المدني, civil defence center no :103, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.525278, 36.353056 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One member of the White Helmets was killed and three more injured in an alleged Russian or regime airstrike on the civil defence centre 103 in Damascus, local media reported.

Douma.Revolution and @SiegeWatch  reported that one civil defence volunteer, Rifat Idris, was killed, and three more were wounded.

The airstrikes that struck the Civil Defence Centre resulted in the destruction of the centre completely, and it was left out of service. The centre supported the towns of Hazza, Zamalka, and Ein Tarma.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Rifat Idris
Adult male Member of the White Helmets killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Rifat Idris, killed in airstrikes on a Civil Defence Centre in Damascus, 13th March 2018. (via @SiegeWatch)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ collapse]