Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

R4504

Incident date

March 11, 2023

Location

الاتارب, Al Atareb, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

One person, a man, was killed and between one to five other civilians, were injured after mortar shelling attributed to both the Syrian regime and Russian forces hit the outskirts of the city of Atarib, in the western countryside of Aleppo on Saturday March 11th 2023.

It’s unclear as to whether the man reported killed, Mustafa Talib, was a civilian, with a divided number of local sources indicating that he was a civilian, whilst others, such as Afrin Post, reported that he was a member of the “terrorist organisation Hay’at Tahir al-Sham”. The number of civilians injured ranged in reports from one, a woman, reported to be injured by the Afrin Post. It also reported that four other militants were killed alongside Mustafa Talib.  However, other reports indicated that all of the four or five injured were civilians, including a child and a woman.

The incident occured at approximately 12:00 pm local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Russian Military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–5

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • "A person was killed and 5 civilians, including a child and a woman, were injured in mortar shelling by the regime forces and Russia, targeting the outskirts of the city of Atarib in the western countryside of #Aleppo, today, Saturday, March 11." The White Helmets reported from the incident (Image via Twitter)
  • "A person was killed and 5 civilians, including a child and a woman, were injured in mortar shelling by the regime forces and Russia, targeting the outskirts of the city of Atarib in the western countryside of #Aleppo, today, Saturday, March 11." The White Helmets reported from the incident (Image via Twitter)
  • "A person was killed and 5 civilians, including a child and a woman, were injured in mortar shelling by the regime forces and Russia, targeting the outskirts of the city of Atarib in the western countryside of #Aleppo, today, Saturday, March 11." The White Helmets reported from the incident (Image via Twitter)
  • "A person was killed and 5 civilians, including a child and a woman, were injured in mortar shelling by the regime forces and Russia, targeting the outskirts of the city of Atarib in the western countryside of #Aleppo, today, Saturday, March 11." The White Helmets reported from the incident (Image via Twitter)
  • Mustafa Talib, reportedly killed as a resuly of a Russian or Syrian regime mortar shell. He is disputed between sources as a civilian or militant (Image via @Omar_Madaniah / Twitter)
  • Orient News report on the death of Mustafa Talib, killed "during its bombing of Atarib" (Image via @OrientNews / Twitter)
  • "The names of the casualties as a result of the artillery shelling that targeted the city of Atarib, west of Aleppo" (Image via @Almohrar1 / Twitter)
  • "A young man was killed and 5 civilians, including a child and a woman, were injured in mortar shelling by the regime forces targeting the outskirts of the city of Atarib in the western countryside of Aleppo today, Saturday, March 11, at noon." (Image via @abdalazezketaz / Twitter)
  • The Afrin Post reported that the man who was killed was a member of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (Image via Afrin post)

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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Russian Military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–5

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS532

Incident date

July 24, 2022

Location

آيا صوفيا, Aya Sophia, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.34220016, 36.40379506 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were killed and up to 12 others were wounded when alleged Turkish-supported militants or the Syrian regime launched drones or rockets at the Aya Sophia Church in the city of al-Suqaylabiyah on July 24, 2022.

Step News Agency quoted the Syrian regime-controlled news agency “SANA” who reported that “terrorists” missiles struck a religious celebration of the opening of the Aya Sophia Church in the city of al-Suqaylabiyah, resulting in the death of two people and the injury of 11 others. The opening ceremony was open to the public and started at 11 o’clock on Sunday July 24th.

North Press Agency reported that two people were killed and 12 others were injured in the attack.  Baladi News provided the name one of the people killed: Hisham Elias.

Baladi News reported that the ceremony was attended by “high-ranking Russian military figures, such as delegates from the Hmeimim Airport, the commander of the Russian Sahelian forces, religious and political figures, in addition to the presence of military figures in the regime forces and leaders of the National Defense militias.” The Cradle specified that the commander of the Syrian National Defense Forces (NDF) in Hama, Nabeul al-Abdullah, was in attendance.

According to Aleteia, the explosion took place “15 meters from the families and the archbishops of Hama, Nicolas Baalbaki, and Homs, Georges Abou Zahem, gathered in front of the building.” The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, John X, condemned the attack saying, “Our children in Suqaylabiyah are paying the price of their faith with blood. What happened in Suqaylabiyah is a despicable and reprehensible act of terrorism.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights pointed out that the location of the explosion is in an area under the control of the Syrian Regime forces and is inhabited by citizens of the Christian faith. Aleteia added that the area is also home to rebel groups, some of them supported by Turkey.

The Cradle also added the context that the church was being built as a “replica” of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan decided to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque and that the construction was being supported by the Russians as well.

Baladi News reported that while SANA referred to the attack as being described as “a gunmen’s missile attack”, pages affiliated with the National Defense Militia said that a drone had dropped bombs, not missile shelling. The Cradle attributed what they referred to as the rocket attack and suicide drone attack to “Al-Qaeda affiliated Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)”, referring to the attack as being carried out by “Turkish backed rebels”.

Up until now, both the Syrian regime and Syrian opposition groups have denied involvement in the attack. “The [regime] did the attack so they had an excuse to target Idlib, so that they could tell the world ‘See, Idlib targets Christians and civilians,'” Fared al-Mahool, an independent journalist and photographer in Idlib covering the humanitarian crisis in Syria, told The New Arab. However, Nabal Abdallah, the commander of the Hama branch of the regime-affiliated National Defense Forces (NDF), told The New Arab that “The attack was conducted by the terrorists and mercenaries that work for Turkey. The attack was on all those that support civilisation, humanity, happiness and life,” . Abdallah was injured during the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

  • Hisham Elias Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Artillery, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–12
  • 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
    Turkish Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected targets
    Assad regime, Russian Military
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Opening of the Aya Sophia Church in the city of al-Suqaylabiyah, which was struck with missiles allegedly launched by Turkish forces on July 24, 2022. (Image posted by Step Agency)
  • People gathered at the opening of the Aya Sophia Church in the city of al-Suqaylabiyah, which was struck with missiles allegedly launched by Turkish forces on July 24, 2022. (Image posted by Step Agency)
  • Fire and damage caused by impact of missile strike on Opening of the Aya Sophia Church in the city of al-Suqaylabiyah, which was struck with missiles allegedly launched by Turkish forces on July 24, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

Geolocation notes (3) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Aya Sophia (آيا صوفيا) church being struck in the city of Al Suqaylabiyah (السقيلبية). Analysing audio-visual material from sources, we have narrowed down the exact location of the strike to these coordinates: 35.34220016, 36.40379506.

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  • Tagged visual material from sources.

    Imagery:
    hibrpress

  • Tagged audio-visual material from sources.

    Imagery:
    @syria_rd

  • Tagged audio-visual material from sources.

    Imagery:
    @syria_rd

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish 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, Artillery, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–12
  • 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
    Turkish Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected targets
    Assad regime, Russian Military
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (14) [ collapse]