Syria: Russia denies involvement in Aleppo attack that wounded boy
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 20 August 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Syria: Russia denies involvement in Aleppo attack that wounded boy, 20 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57db9a21a.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
August 20, 2016
The Russian Defense Ministry has denied any responsibility for an attack in the Syrian city of Aleppo that wounded a 5-year-old boy whose rescue was widely viewed on social media.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman General Igor Konashenkov said in a statement on August 19 that Russian warplanes "never work on targets in civilian areas."
The boy, who was identified as Omran Daqnish, was not seriously injured.
Konashenkov added that the place where Daqnish was wounded was near two areas that Russia had recently opened for civilians to flee the city.
Different monitoring groups in Syria have made numerous reports of Syrian government and Russian aircraft conducting bombing raids in urban areas controlled by Islamist groups and Syrian opposition fighters that have killed and wounded hundreds of civilians.
Ibrahim al-Hajj, a spokesman for the volunteer Syrian emergency group White Helmets, said that Daqnish is similar to numerous victims of Syria's five-year-long civil war.
"I can tell the world there are dozens of Omrans in Aleppo each day," he said.
At least 250,000 people are estimated to have been killed and millions of others have been displaced by the fighting in Syria.
Based on reporting by dpa, TASS, and AP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
