On August 16th 2019, Russian airstrikes on a gathering of internally displaced persons (IDPs) near Hass town in Syria’s Idlib province, killed at least 15 and injured more than 25.
Among the dead were four women, five men and six children.
Some of the wounded were said to be in a serious condition.
Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) records casualties (i.e. people killed and injured) from explosive violence around the world as reported in English-language news sources.
AOAV has recorded a marked rise in civilian casualties in the second-quarter of 2019 across Syria, compared to the three months previous. Between April and June 2019, AOAV recorded 1,930 civilian casualties, compared to 1,186 between January and March 2019 – a 63% increase in civilian deaths and injuries.
In Idlib region alone the escalation is even starker, with a 154% increase in civilian casualties in this period (from 505 between January and March to 1,284 between April and June). Or, an increase of 740% in the first six months in 2019 compared to the last six months of 2018.
At least 57% of civilian casualties from explosive violence in Syria, recorded in the first half of this year, occurred in Idlib.
While 64% of civilian casualties from explosive violence have been caused by state actors, mostly regime and Russian airstrikes.
AOAV condemns the use of violence against civilians and the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. AOAV encourages all armed actors to stop using explosive weapons with wide-area affects where there is likely to be a high concentration of civilians.
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