Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

R4286

Incident date

October 26, 2020

Location

منطقة الدويله في كفرتخاريم في ريف ادلب, Al Dwailah in Kafar Takhareem in Idib, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Civilians were reported killed and injured when an alleged Russian forces warplane struck a training camp for Sham Legion of the Syrian National Army which is affiliated by Turkey in Al-Duwailah in Kafr Tkharim, Idlib, leading also to the killing of a media activist.

Local sources identified the killed journalist as Rashid Al-Bakr who died as a result of injuries he sustained as a result of the airstrike.

Step Agency said the attack targeted a training camp on the Syrian-Turkish border which is also close to IDPs camps.

The airstrike is also believed to have killed up to 50 militants and injured dozens from Sham Legion fighters. Reports said that 200 militants were in the camo at the time of the airstrike.

Local sources blamed Russia for the incident saying a Russian warplane flew from Hmeimem base to undertake the attack which was done with highly explosive weapons.

The US embassy published a statement by Special Representative for Syria Ambassador James Jeffrey on Idlib airstrike by what it described as pro-regime forces. @TRTWorldNow tweeted that Erdogan referred to the attack saying that “Russian attack in Idlib shows lasting peace in Syria is not desired.”

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 man)
  • 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 Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Free Syrian Army
  • Belligerents reported killed
    18–50
  • Belligerents reported injured
    50–70

Sources (24) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • Rashid Al-Biker, a media activist, was reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on a SNA military training camp in Al-Duwailah in Idlib on October 26th.
  • More than a hundred members of pro-Turkey Sham legion were killed as a result of a Russian airstrike on Idlib.
  • Satellite imagery showing the attack on Sham Legion military training camp in Al-Duwailah that according to local sources led to civilian casualties, including a media activist. (via Freedierazourradio)
  • Satellite imagery showing the attack on Sham Legion military training camp in Al-Duwailah that according to local sources led to civilian casualties, including a media activist. (via Freedierazourradio)
  • Statement by Special Representative for Syria Ambassador James Jeffrey on Idlib Airstrike by what he described as pro-regime forces. (via Raqqa.rwb)
  • Media activist Rashid Al-Bakr was killed in the Russian air strike that targeted the Jebel Al-Duwailah area in Idlib countryside.
  • Funeral of those killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Al-Duwailah in Idlib on October 26th, 2020. (via Eye on Hasaka)
  • Funeral of those killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Al-Duwailah in Idlib on October 26th, 2020. (via Eye on Hasaka)
  • Rashid Al-Bakr, a media activist, was reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on a SNA military training camp in Al-Duwailah in Idlib on October 26th. (via ShahbaPress).

Russian Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Armed Forces
  • Russian Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 man)
  • 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 Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Free Syrian Army
  • Belligerents reported killed
    18–50
  • Belligerents reported injured
    50–70

Sources (24) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS401

Incident date

December 20, 2019

Location

ام حرملة, Um Hammala, Al Hasaka, Syria

Geolocation

36.872222, 40.330000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Geolocation accuracy

Neighbourhood/area

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were reported injured as a result of alleged Turkish forces or Turkey-backed militants’ artillery shelling on Um Hammala village in Zarkan, Hasakah, Syria on December 20th, 2019 according to local sources.

No more details are available at the moment.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Armed Forces, Free Syrian Army
  • Suspected target
    Free Syrian Army

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports on the incident mention multiple villages being struck in the countryside of Abu Rasin (تل بو رأسين). The village of Um Hammala (ام حرملة) for which the coordinates are: 36.872222, 40.330000; the village of Um Eshba (برقة) for which the coordinates are: 36.896389, 40.295000; and the village of Til Hermil (تل حرمل) for which the coordinates are: 36.906667, 40.356944. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Turkish Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Free Syrian Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Free Syrian Army
  • Free Syrian Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Armed Forces, Free Syrian Army
  • Suspected target
    Free Syrian Army

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS400

Incident date

December 9, 2019

Location

تل الورد غربي, Tal Al Ward, Hasaka, Syria

Geolocation

36.797222, 40.338611 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Geolocation accuracy

Village

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, one civilian was reported killed when Turkish forces or Turkey-backed forces launched an artillery attack on Tal Al Ward in Tal Tamr town of Hasakah in Syria, on December 9th, 2019.

No further details are available at the moment.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Free Syrian Army

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Liveaumap Middle East marking the location of the strike on Tal Al Ward (via @lummideast).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention bombing in the village of Tal Al Ward (تل الورد غربي) for which the coordinates are 36.797222, 40.338611 and the village of Al Rubaiat (ربيعات غربي ) for which the coordinates are: 36.820000, 40.333333. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Turkish Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Free Syrian Army

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS339a

Incident date

October 10–13, 2019

Location

منبج‎ / عين العرب‎ / كوباني‎, M4 Highway, between Manbij and Kobani, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.6304613, 38.2997323 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Geolocation accuracy

Subdistrict

Airwars assessment

Kurdish civilians were summarily executed by Turkish forces on the M4 highway in north east Syria, according to local media.

Video shared by @zana_med on twitter shows Turkey-backed militants near bodies of two civilians that they executed earlier on the M4 highway in Hassakah governroate.  The date of the summary execution is not known but possibly between 10 and 13 October 2019.

The content of the video is graphic.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Armed Forces, Free Syrian Army
  • Suspected target
    Free Syrian Army

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the incident took place on the M4 highway between the cities of Manbij (منبج‎) and Kobani (عين العرب‎ / كوباني‎) for which the generic coordinates are: 36.6304613, 38.2997323. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the incident took place on the M4 highway between the cities of Manbij (منبج‎) and Kobani (عين العرب‎ / كوباني‎).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Turkish Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Turkish Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Free Syrian Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Free Syrian Army
  • Free Syrian Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Armed Forces, Free Syrian Army
  • Suspected target
    Free Syrian Army

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3865

Incident date

July 2, 2019

Location

مدايا, Madaya, Idlib , Syria

Airwars assessment

Seven to 30 people were reportedly killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Madaya, Idlib governorate, on July 2nd, 2019, according to local sources. Sources are conflicted about the number of civilians among the victims.

While Step News Agency reported “news of a massacre of civilians in the town of Madaya, south of Idlib, after a raid carried out by Russian warplanes” – later citing seven dead – the same source also reported that “seven soldiers of the opposition forces died, and five others were wounded, when Russian airstrikes targeted their headquarters south of Idlib.”

@NagiNajjar tweeted that “the Russian occupation air force commits a massacre in the village of Madaya in the southern countryside of Idlib, which killed more than 20 martyrs and dozens of wounded.” According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, two civilians from the same family were killed in the attack.

@syrian191124 shared a video of the aftermath of the strikes, writing: “A horrific massacre committed by the Russian occupation planes in the village of Madaya in the southern countryside of Idlib with concussion bombs, which killed more than 16 martyrs until this moment.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Russian forces “targeted a military headquarters of Jaysh al-Nukhba of the National Liberation Front in Madaya village in the southern countryside of Idlib, which killed at least 15 members and injured 10 others, some of them were critically injured which may raise the death toll.” A later source, Step News, alleged that “the number of people killed as a result of the Russian attack on the headquarters of the Syrian Free Army rose to 30.”

@M25hLAkKS2ra6WD later tweeted that “the number of victims of the massacre in the town of Madaya in the southern countryside of Idlib, due to its bombing by the regime’s warplanes, has risen to 30.”

Meanwhile, Shahba Press tweeted that “dozens of civilians were killed and wounded by heavy air raids on the town of Madaya in rural Idlib.” According to Fresh Syria, the incident occured in the evening.

While most sources attributed the strikes to Russia, a few sources, including Fresh Syria, blamed the Syrian regime, whereas @anwaralnhar blamed both Russia and the Syrian regime.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 30
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Free Syrian Army
  • Belligerents reported killed
    7–30
  • Belligerents reported injured
    5–10

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Translation: “A horrific massacre committed by the Russian occupation planes in the village of Madaya in the southern countryside of Idlib with concussion bombs, which killed more than 16 martyrs until this moment” (via @syrian191124).
  • Translation: “#Idlib: A horrific massacre in the village of Madaya in the southern countryside of Idlib, which killed 16 martyrs as a preliminary result, and a number of civilians were wounded as a result of the targeting of the village with several air strikes with vacuum missiles by the Russian occupation forces and the Assad regime” (via @anwaralnhar).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers recovering the body of a victim on the scene after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Madaya, July 2nd, 2019 (via @anwaralnhar).

Russian Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Armed Forces
  • Russian Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 30
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Free Syrian Army
  • Belligerents reported killed
    7–30
  • Belligerents reported injured
    5–10

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3452

Incident date

June 24, 2018

Location

علما, Elma, Dara'a, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reported killed and others injured in alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime airstrikes on Elma in Dar’a, Syria on June 24th, 2018 according to local sources.

Dara’a Now, which is a pro regime page, reported “More fire lava on the terrorists’ heads in the town of Al-Harak and what remains of the town of Basra Al-Hariri and the town of al Soura and the town of Elma and the area of Aljaj in the eastern countryside of Daraa .”, but Step Agency blamed Russian forces. “One person was killed by Russian air raids on the town of Elma in the east of Daraa”, and the Syrian Network for Human Rights said that “Khaled Mansour al Dagher was killed as Syrian/ Russian regime warplanes fired missiles on Elma town in Dara’a governorate northeastern suburbs, on June 24th, 2018.”

Also the Syrian Committee for Human Rights said “Khaled Mansour Al-Dagher died, and others were injured, after an aerial bombardment by Russian warplanes targeted the town of Elma in the countryside of Daraa Governorate on Sunday June 24th, 2018.”

Ziad Al Hourani who said the victim was his cousin posted an image of Khaled on Facebook saying “The young martyr, my cousin Khaled Mansour Al-Dagher martyred during the bombing of the town by the Russian and Assad aviation. May God have mercy on you, my dear cousin , and accept you from the martyrs, Amin.”

Violations Documentation Center blamed Russia for killing the civilian.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Armed Forces, Syrian Regime Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Free Syrian Army

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Explosions after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Al Harak or Al Soura on June 24th, 2018 (via Dara'a Now).
  • Explosions after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the city of Al Harak or Al Soura on June 24th, 2018 (via Dara'a Now).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Khaled Mansour Al-Dagher was reported killed in Russian or Syrian regime attack on Alma in Dara'a on June 24th, 2018 (via Ziad Alhourani).

Russian Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Armed Forces
  • Russian Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Regime Armed Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Armed Forces, Syrian Regime Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Free Syrian Army

Sources (16) [ collapse]