Idlib: Civilian Casualties in Aerial Attacks on Jisr al-Shughur

More than 14 deaths and 30 injuries recorded after a fierce aerial bombardment of Jisr al-Shughur city, Idlib western countryside, and surroundings villages (Al Janoudiyah, Muhambal, Bsanqul, Qarqor and Kafreden), on the 4^th of September 2018, according to numerous testimonies obtained by STJ, military aircraft, believed to be Russian, bombed the city of Jisr al-Shughur and its northern, eastern and western suburbs, starting from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the same day, causing many civilian casualties and substantial material damage.

This escalation coincided with the preparation for the forthcoming (Iran, Turkey and Russia) trilateral summit[1], hosted by Tehran on September 7, 2018, to discuss the course of the Syrian dossier and decide on future steps, most importantly the fate of Idlib.

Jets, believed to be Russian, carried out more than 10 attacks on Jisr al-Shughur, Idlib western countryside killing nine people, mostly children and women, and the Civil defense and ambulances rushed to the bombed sites. Numerous warplanes and reconnaissance aircraft overflew the area to monitor vehicles movements and people gatherings. That’s why military aviation observatories always warns civilians to avoid being in markets or schools.
Al Janoudiyah town, western rural Jisr al-Shughur, was also hit with six raids by likely Russian jets, leaving two casualties and great destruction in civilians’ houses and property.

Concurrently, high-explosive rockets hit Jisr al-Shughur surroundings intensively, including (al-Shaghr, Hasrash, Bsanqul, al Janoudiyah suburbs, Gani, Sirmaniyah, Zayzun, Jadraya, Kafreden and Qarqor), causing a significant exodus of these villages, as well as the suspension of school hours in Jisr al-Shujour by the Directorate of Education.

Walaa Saeed Taha and her daughter, Lama Saeed were killed in an aerial bombardment on the Muhambal town in Idlib western countryside, after bombing their house with high-explosive rockets at 1:00 pm on the same day, despite the civil defense’ efforts for more than half an hour to rescue them from the rubble, according to STJ field researcher.

Civilians casualties, fell after the violent attacks of September 4, 2018, on Jisr al-Shughur.

Photo credit: Jisr al-Shughur Media Center/JMC.

The Civil Defense commander in Jisr al-Shughur, Ahmed Yazhi, told STJ that Russian jets hit Jisr al-Shughur and its northern, western and eastern suburbs, with high-explosive rockets, on Tuesday, September 4, 2018 started from 11:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., resulting in the destruction of a number of civilians houses and schools, besides a popular market in Muhambal, Idlib western countryside, and he goes on to say:

"These raids resulted in the kill of 14 civilians; 9 in Jisr al-Shughur and 3 in its vicinity besides 2 in Muhambal, and the injury of some 30 others including children and women. Jisr al-Shughur and Al Janoudiyah were the most attacked; 10 raids on the first and 6 on the latter, which put their people into a state of fear, and forced them out towards safer places. Civil Defense teams were impeded by the intensified bombardment and some of whom were actually attacked but no casualties recorded among them, fortunately. We managed to help all the injuries resulted from these brutal attacks.”

Statistical data on the bombardments on Jisr al-Shughu, published by the Civil Defense in Idlib on September 4, 2018.

 Photo credit: Syrian Civil Defense Idlib.

Damage caused to civilian property in Jisr al-Shughur, following violent attacks of September 4, 2018. Photo credit: STJ.

STJ documented the names of some victims of the violent bombardment on Jisr al-Shughur, on September 4, 2018:

1. Mahmoud Mohammed al-Sheikh.
2. Abdul Rahman Madaniah.
3. Abu Ibrahim al-Halabi.
4. Mohammed Sakher Hehano (a child).
5. Mohammed Ahmed Hehano (a child)
6. Taha Ezzedine Hehano (a child).
7. Talal Ahmed Hehano (a child).
8. Ameena Mhmoud al-Sheikh.
9. Qamar Sakher Hehano.
10.  

Idlib had come under intensive bombardment on August 13, 2018, by pro-government forces, which resulted in the kill of 3 civilians and the injury of 10.[2]

While it witnessed violent retaliatory attacks in response to those of armed opposition factions against them.[3]