2017 Aleppo suicide car bombing

Last updated

2017 Aleppo suicide car bombing
Part of the Syrian Civil War
Aleppo in Syria (+Golan).svg
LocationRashideen District, western Aleppo, Syria
Coordinates 36°10′10″N37°03′24″E / 36.16944°N 37.05667°E / 36.16944; 37.05667
Date15 April 2017;6 years ago (2017-04-15)
Weapons Car bomb
Deaths126+ [1]
Injured55+
PerpetratorUnknown

On 15 April 2017, a car bomb detonated near a convoy of buses in the al-Rashideen neighbourhood of western Aleppo, Syria. [2] The buses carried civilian evacuees from the besieged government-controlled towns of al-Fu'ah and Kafriya and were guarded by rebel fighters. [3] The bombing killed at least 126 people [4] including at least 80 children. [5]

Contents

The bus evacuation was part of an agreement brokered by the Syrian government, Iran, and Qatar, and implemented by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. [6] Under the terms of the evacuation deal, residents of the Shia communities of al-Fu'ah and Kafriya, which supported the Syrian government [7] and were surrounded by the Army of Conquest, [8] would be transported to Aleppo. [6] In return, residents of Madaya and Al-Zabadani, which are Sunni-majority and support the opposition, would be transported to the Idlib province. [6]

Bombing

Witnesses narrations of the bombing

The attack took place in the Rashideen district, in the western outskirts of the city of Aleppo, at about 15:30 local time. [9] According to some journalists, the bomb was in a car that parked and began distributing crisps to attract children. [10] [11] This car was near the front of a convoy of buses that were stopped at a checkpoint to move injured refugees. [9] [12] An investigation by Bellingcat disputed that it was an aid vehicle, but instead a third-generation Hyundai Porter Super Cab, bearing a "W77" label and a yellow-green-red color scheme, of indeterminate affiliation. [10]

Early reports indicated that a few dozen people had been killed, [13] but the confirmed death toll rose to 126 by the following day, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. [9] The Observatory said that 109 of the dead were refugees, including 68 children, with the remainder rebel fighters and aid workers, [9] though a spokesman for the Ahrar al-Sham rebel group said that about 30 of its members were killed. [14] According to the White Helmets civil defense group, 55 people were injured. [15]

The bombing led to the suspension of evacuations for several days; they resumed on 19 April with tight security at the Rashideen checkpoint. [16] Three days after the bombing, a United Nations spokesperson said that the bombing was "likely a war crime" and a person of interest seen in footage prior to the bombing is being investigated. [17]

Perpetrator

The perpetrator's identity is unknown. According to Syrian state television, the civilians of Fuaa and Kafriya supported the government during the rebel siege of the towns, and the rebels were responsible for the bombing. [18] Ahrar al-Sham denied responsibility, [19] and members of the opposition suggested that the Assad government might have been behind the attack as a way of diverting attention from the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack. [18] Rami Abdulrahman, the director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), stated in a televised interview that he believed the bombing was not done by the Syrian government. [20]

Reactions

Starvation of Al-Fu'ah and Kafriya people by tasnimnews.com16.jpg
Children holding placards with inscriptions "We want bread and security", "UNICEF where is children's rights?", "save al-Fu'ah and Kafriya from certain death"

Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres requested that all parties guarantee the security of those waiting to be evacuated. [21] Pope Francis condemned the bombing during his Easter Sunday address, calling it a "vile attack on fleeing refugees". [9] The Turkish Foreign Ministry said that the attack "has shown once again the necessity to strengthen the ceasefire agreement". [22]

Robert Fisk, writing for The Independent , criticized the United States government for a double standard regarding the attack, contrasting its silence on the bombing with its reaction to the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack earlier in the month; he said that "after this weekend's suicide bombing [...] the White House said nothing [...] because–and here's the point–they were the victims of the wrong kind of killer." [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

Madaya is a small mountainous town in Syria, located at an altitude of around 1,300 metres (4,300 ft). It is located about 40 kilometres (25 mi) northwest of Damascus in the Rif Dimashq Governorate and is home to Lake Barada, although this must be a metaphorical reference because there doesn't seem to be a lake anywhere nearby. According to locals in the area Lake Barada used to be bigger but due to pollution and industrial causes it has shrunk. Madaya often is snow-top during the winter months especially on January and February. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Madaya had a population of 9,371 in the 2004 census. Its inhabitants are predominantly Sunni Muslims. Madaya is home to a large illegal market home to foreign brands that are smuggled in from Lebanon's Chtaura, which is close to the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Aleppo (2012–2016)</span> Military confrontation in Aleppo (2012–2016)

The Battle of Aleppo was a major military confrontation in Aleppo, the largest city in Syria, between the Syrian opposition against the Syrian government, supported by Hezbollah, Shia militias and Russia, and against the Kurdish-majority People's Protection Units (YPG). The battle began on 19 July 2012 and was part of the ongoing Syrian Civil War. A stalemate that had been in place for four years finally ended in July 2016, when Syrian government troops closed the rebels' last supply line into Aleppo with the support of Russian airstrikes. In response, rebel forces launched unsuccessful counteroffensives in September and October that failed to break the siege; in November, government forces embarked on a decisive campaign that resulted in the recapture of all of Aleppo by December 2016. The Syrian government victory was widely seen as a turning point in Syria's civil war.

Al-Fu'ah is a town in northern Syria, administratively part of the Idlib Governorate, located northeast of Idlib. Nearby localities include Kafriya to the west, Maarrat Misrin to the northwest, Zardana to the north, Taftanaz to the northeast, Ta'um to the east and Binnish and Sarmin to the south. The plain surrounding al-Fu'ah is well known for growing olives and figs.

Kafriya is a village in northern Syria, administratively part of the Idlib Governorate, located northwest of Idlib. Nearby localities include Maarrat Misrin to the north, Zardana to the northeast, Taftanaz to the east and al-Fu'ah and Binnish to the immediate south. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, Kafriya had a population of 4,404 in the 2004 census. Like nearby al-Fu'ah, Kafriya's inhabitants were predominantly Shia Muslims, while the surrounding areas are predominantly Sunni Muslim.

A timeline of combat operations during the Battle of Aleppo throughout the year 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Idlib (2015)</span> Military operation in Syria

The Battle of Idlib was a military operation in the Idlib Governorate, during the Syrian Civil War, conducted by rebels against Syrian government forces defending Idlib city.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian Civil War from August to December 2015. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian Civil War from January to July 2014. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of al-Fu'ah and Kafriya</span> Military operation

The siege of al-Fu'ah and Kefriya was a siege of the towns of al-Fu'ah and Kafriya in the Idlib Governorate, towns with majority Shia populations and controlled by the Syrian government during the Syrian civil war. The siege began with a Sunni Islamist rebel assault on the capital of the province in March 2015, resulting in the capture of Idlib. On 18 July 2018, the besieged government forces reached an agreement with Tahrir al-Sham-led rebels to evacuate them and civilians from the two towns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement</span> Agreement between Syrian opposition forces and the Syrian Armed Force

The 2015 Zabadani ceasefire agreement between Syrian opposition forces and the Syrian Armed Forces was achieved on 24 September 2015, with mediation from the United Nations, following the Battle of Zabadani (2015). The agreement was fulfilled in April 2017.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian Civil War from January to April 2016. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian Civil War from May to August 2016. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian Civil War from September to December 2016. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aleppo offensive (November–December 2016)</span> December 2016 battle in Aleppo

The Aleppo offensive , code named Operation Dawn of Victory by government forces, was a successful military offensive launched by the Syrian Armed Forces and allied groups against rebel-held districts in Aleppo. The offensive came after the end of the moratorium on air strikes by Russia, and the Russian Armed Forces again conducted heavy air and cruise missile strikes against rebel positions throughout northwestern Syria. The offensive resulted in government forces taking control of all rebel-controlled parts of eastern and southern Aleppo, and the evacuation of the remaining rebel forces.

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The following is a timeline of the Syrian Civil War from May to August 2017. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian Civil War from January to April 2018. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Qalamoun offensive (April 2018)</span> Military operation

On 17 April 2018, rebel groups in the eastern Qalamoun Mountains pocket, led by Jaysh al-Islam, reached a surrender agreement with the Syrian Army and Russia. The agreement came after 2 weeks of negotiations that began with a Syrian Army ultimatum on 3 April. Around 1,500 rebels handed over heavy weapons and equipment to the Syrian Army, and were evacuated by 124 buses in 4 convoys to Turkish-held areas in the northern Aleppo Governorate along with their families, totaling around 5,000 people. On 25 April, the last batch of rebels and their families left the eastern Qalamoun pocket, and the region came under full Syrian government control.

Insurgency in Idlib is an ongoing insurgency in the regions Idlib Governorate between multiple factions. The conflict is primarily between the supporters of Syrian Salvation Government and forces loyal to Syrian Arab Republic. Other factions participating in insurgency range from the Syrian opposition forces in the Syrian National Army supported by Turkey; to supporters of Al-Qaeda branch Hurras al-Din and members of the Islamic State group. The insurgency has been marked by assassinations and bombings, as well as armed confrontations with small arms and raids.

References

  1. ↑ "Syria evacuees bomb attack death toll rises to 112: monitor". AFP. 16 April 2017.
  2. ↑ "Dozens killed after bomb explodes near Aleppo evacuation bus convoy". CBC News. 15 April 2017.
  3. ↑ "Syria war: Huge bomb kills dozens of evacuees in Syria". BBC News. 15 April 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  4. ↑ "Death toll from Aleppo bus convoy bomb attack at least 126: Observatory". Reuters. 2017-04-16. Retrieved 2017-04-16.
  5. ↑ "'A new horror': 80 children among those slaughtered in suicide attack on refugee convoy". ABC News. 2017-04-17. Retrieved 2017-04-18.
  6. 1 2 3 "More Than 7,000 People Evacuated From 4 Besieged Syrian Towns". The New York Times. 14 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  7. ↑ al-Kurdi, Anas. "Syrian regime forces 'lost stomach to retake Idlib'". alaraby.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  8. ↑ Lizzie Dearden (12 January 2016). "Madaya: The two other Syrian villages where 20,000 people have been starving under rebel siege" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-01. Foua and Kefraya have been surrounded by Jaysh al-Fatah (Army of Conquest), led by al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Musra and Islamists Ahrar ash-Sham since March last year.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "Syria war: 'At least 68 children among 126 killed' in bus bombing". BBC News Online. 16 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  10. 1 2 Triebert, Christiaan (August 2, 2017). "In Digital Pursuit of a Suicide Truck: Tracking a Blue Hyundai Porter That Killed over 100 Evacuees in Syria". Bellingcat. Archived from the original on August 2, 2017.
  11. ↑ "At least 100 killed after car bomb explodes near buses carrying Syrian evacuees" . Retrieved 2017-05-01.
  12. ↑ "Aleppo blast: Syrian evacuation convoy targeted". Al-Jazeera. 16 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  13. ↑ "Dozens Killed as Blast Strikes Convoy Carrying Evacuated Syrians". The New York Times. 15 April 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  14. ↑ El Deeb, Sarah; Issa, Philip. "Over 100 killed during Syria's troubled population transfer". stltoday.[ permanent dead link ]
  15. ↑ "Syria: 126 killed as bomb hits buses with evacuees, group says". CNN. 16 April 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  16. ↑ "Syria war: Evacuations resume after deadly bombing". BBC News Online. 19 April 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  17. ↑ "Recent attack on evacuated civilians in Syria 'likely a war crime,' says UN rights office". un.org. 18 April 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  18. 1 2 Sanchez, Raf. "Dozens killed as suicide bomber hits convoy of civilians evacuating besieged Syrian towns". Telegraph. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  19. ↑ "Syria evacuations resume after weekend car bomb kills more than 100". France24. 19 April 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  20. ↑ "Syria: 126 killed as bomb hits buses with evacuees, group says". CNN. 16 April 2017. Abdul Rahman said he doesn't believe the Syrian regime is behind the attack.
  21. ↑ Graham-Harrison, Emma; Damien Gayle, Damien. "Deadly Aleppo suicide attack kills 100 in evacuation operation". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  22. ↑ "Turkey condemns deadly attack near Syria's Aleppo". Daily Sabah. 17 April 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  23. ↑ "If Trump cares so much about Syrian babies, why is he not condemning the rebels who slaughtered children?" . The Independent. 2017-04-17. Archived from the original on 2022-05-01. Retrieved 2017-04-18.
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