On Sunday, October 8, 2017, more than 10 civilians, including two children and one woman, were killed and more than 40 others injured, in shelling one of the popular markets of Ma'arat Nu’man city in the southern Idlib countryside. As, warplane, likely affiliated to Syrian Air force, launched air strike on the market in a time it was full of civilians in the afternoon, according to Syrian for Truth and Justice reporter.
Hazem al-Mahmoud, a resident of the city, was in the market the moment of the target, Hazem told STJ what happened saying:
"At about 2:15 p.m., while I was wandering around the “vegetable market” to buy some stuff, I heard a roar of a warplane approaching the city. I immediately rushed with some people to hide inside a shop, and it was only moments until we heard the sound of a massive explosion as a result of the air raid that targeted the market. I remember well how horrible the scene was then, the shrapnel thrown around us, the dust filled the place. As for bodies of the dead, some were torn and others were burning, without any hesitation I helped one of the wounded who desperately needed an ambulance. Meantime the Civil Defense teams arrived to evacuate the wounded, move the bodies and put out the fire in the nearby cars and buildings."
According to the testimonies of many people interviewed by STJ reporter, the targeted area is completely free of any militarized, that matter also confirmed by Abu Ahmed, a greengrocer, as he indicated that the market was overcrowded with civilians, especially children and women, when it subjected to shelling, in this regard he said:
“While I was putting away the vegetables, I got panic by the roar of a warplane, so I sheltered inside my shop alongside some people who were shopping. At the beginning I wasn’t t aware that I was hit by shrapnel on one of my hands, I hastened out as soon as the raid ended out; I heard the screams and howling of the children and women who were near the place of the rocket crash. I had a great horror when I saw body pieces spread around me, the Civil Defense teams arrived to help me, as they transferred me to the city hospital, and thank God I was not severely injured.”
STJ reporter documented names of those killed as result of the shelling, including:
- The child Louay Hassan Aldoudi
- The young Nidal Dyab
- Abdul Hameed Al-Gareeb
- Jamil Tnazi
- The child Mahmoud Al-Harkawi
- Muhammad Hussin Al-Tou’ma
- Zakaria Al-Bash
- Samer Al-A’wad
- Ahmad Al-Ra’d
- An unknown dead
It is worth mentioning that on May 4, 2017, the sponsored states of Astana Talks (Russia, Turkey and Iran) signed a memorandum of understanding to establish de-escalation areas in Syria. Which included Idlib Province, some parts of northern Homs, Eastern Ghouta in Damascus countryside , and parts of adjacent provinces (Latakia, Hama and Aleppo), as well as parts of southern Syria.
Image shows the Civil Defense helping a child who was injured in the shelling of a popular market in the town of Ma'arat Nu’man in Idlib countryside on October 8, 2017.
Photo credit: STJ
Images show the destruction following bombardment of a popular market in Ma'arat Nu’man in Idlib countryside on October 8, 2017
Photo credit: STJ
Image showing the location where the missile falls.
Image showing exactly where the missile falls.
Analysis of visual evidence, taken from one of the video tapes published by Ma’arat al-Nu’man Media Center, shows the strike location.
Analysis of visual evidence taken from one of the video tapes published by Orient TV, which shows the location of the Cultural Centre close to where the attack conducted.
According to STJ reporter who assured that, this is not the first time the same popular market in Ma’arat t Nu’man has been targeted. As, on December 4 and 11, 2016, warplane of the Syrian Regular Forces raided the market, leaving many dead and wounded from civilians, the reporter also pointed out that Ma'arat Nu’man wasn’t control by any military faction, but rather to the city's Local Council administration.