Since mid-March 2011 up until May 2017, VDC documented 177,617 battle-related deaths
First, May Battle-Related Deaths:
During this month VDC documented a total of 661 deaths across different Syrian governorates, among them, 629 were documented by full name and 32 are still registered as unknown.
Second:
Third:
Fourth, Death by Type of Weapon:
261 of the total 661 of the battle-related death occurred by firearms and snipers, 211 by aerial attacks and barrel bombs, while tanks, cannons and mortars accounted for 67 battle-related deaths. Additionally, the VDC documented the deaths of 122 under other reasons; 12 deaths under torture in the Syrian government detention centers and 89 by land mines and car explosives, 10 kidnaped by unknown. While for the rest 11 the cause or the executioner was not undoubtedly identified.
Fifth:
Sixth, Deaths by ISIS:
During this month, VDC documented the death of 84 people, 43 are civilians, and 41 from different armed groups.
Seventh, De-escalation zones and the regression of attacks:
With almost a month passed since the start of the de-escalation zones agreement implementation on May 6th, 2017. May witnessed a significant reduction in the number of attacks and civilian casualties in the areas included in the agreement. These areas are Edlib province and the nearby neighborhoods in Aleppo and Latakia provinces. In addition to other areas in the northern suburbs of Homs, the Eastern suburbs (Eastern Ghota) of Damascus, Qunaitera and Dara’a provinces in the south near the Jordanian borders.
During this month, VDC documented a significant reduction in the number of military operations in these areas and accordingly a reduction in the number of casualties. During May 2017, VDC documented a total of 280 battle-related deaths in these areas compared to 697 in April alone of the same year. Distributed as following:
- 63 deaths in Idlib province in May compared to 270 in April.
- 86 in Dara’a province in May compared to 167 in April 2017.
- While Damascus suburbs had 131 battle-related deaths in May compared to 260 in April 2017.
Nonetheless, and regardless of the reduction in military operations in most of the areas covered by the agreement, many other cities and areas were subjected to different violations from the Syrian government forces and the affiliated militias. Concentrated mostly in other areas of Damascus suburbs, Dara’a, and Hama province.
Notes:
These figures are not final in any way, and they are subject to continuous and periodic scrutiny by center’s activists, the database administrators, and the field documentation team. Figures may differ between reports, and the most recent report is always considered to be the more accurate.
VDC team pays tribute to all the collaborative activists who extended a helping hand to our center as well as to the families of the victims. We also thank the Field Observation Team whose members face daily dangers executing their duties in Syria in order to document the human rights violations committed there, complete the data, and claim the rights of the distressed families from the concerned bodies and organizations.