The Cluster Munitions Of The Syrian Civil War

Over the past year an increasing variety of cluster munitions have gradually been deployed by the Syrian military, with the first individual appearance of cluster munitions recorded by Syrian activists in July 2012 being followed by a massive escalation in the use of the cluster munitions in October 2012.  The following post details the cluster munitions recorded by activists so far in the conflict.

AO-1Sch

The above video shows the first recording of cluster submunitions in the Syrian conflict, designated AO-1Sch.  The video was filmed on July 10th 2012, and until October 2012 it was one of two examples of cluster bomb use in Syria.

Originating in the former-Soviet Union, AO stands for “Aviatsionnaya oskolochnaya”, or "Aircraft fragmentation".  These are anti-personnel munitions, dropped in RBK-250/RBK-250-275 cluster bombs from aircraft, with each cluster bomb carrying 150 AO-1Sch bomblets.  The majority of these cluster submunitions that have been recorded in Syria were manufactured in the 70s and early 80s, with a few recent examples showing manufacturing dates of the late 80s.  Large numbers of unexploded submunitions have been recorded, possibly because of their age and the degradation of the mercury based detonator.

After their first isolated recorded appearance in July 2012 they reappeared in October 2012 when large numbers of videos started appearing online from across Syria showing unexploded cluster submunitions.  These videos appeared shortly after a major highway was closed by fighting in Idlib, and it's possible the escalation to the use of cluster bombs was a response to that.

PTAB-2.5m

Much like the AO-1Sch, this is another Soviet-era munition dropped in groups of 30 inside a RBK-250/RBK-250/275 cluster bomb.  These larger submunitions are designed primarily as anti-vehicle weapons.  

The above video shows their first appearance in Abu Kamal, on the Syrian side of the Syria/Iraq border in August 2012, and it is a good example of the handling of unexploded cluster submunitions that has been seen repeatedly in the conflict.  The problem with unexploded ordnance (UXO) is there's no way to know if they are safe to handle, and could detonate at any time.  

As with the AO-1Sch submunitions this isolated incident of their use was followed by their use across Syria from October 2012 onwards.  Along with the AO-1Sch submunitions they are the most commonly recorded type of explosive submunition used in the conflict, with hundreds of videos of their use posted online.

ZAB 2.5

In November 2012 a new type of cluster submunition appeared in the conflict, the ZAB 2.5 incendiary submunition.  A Soviet submunition dropped from RBK-250/RBK-250-275 cluster bombs, this submunition is designed to destroy hangers, warehouses, and other large military structures.

These submunitions have frequently been described as "white phosphorous", when they are actually thermite based weapons, which is extremely difficult to extinguish.  Three types of ZAB 2.5 submunitions are used in each cluster bomb, with two types containing a bursting charge that cause the bomblet to explode some time after ignition, discouraging attempts to extinguish it, and spreading the burning thermite over a wider area.

After AO-1Sch and PTAB-2.5m submunitions the ZAB 2.5 is the 3rd most commonly recorded submunition in the conflict.

Sakr

In December 2012 activists began posting videos of 122mm rockets, launched from BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers.  This particular type was the Egyptian Sakr 18/Sakr 36 cluster munition rocket, each carrying 72 or 98 submunitions respectively.  

In the above video you see both the rocket, and the submunitions, which have a distinct white ribbon attached.  When the rocket breaks open and releases the submunitions these ribbons cause the submunitions to start spinning, stabilising their descent.  As this is happening the ribbon pulls out an arming pin, but in some instances this doesn't happen, so they landed unarmed.  What can happen then is someone can come along, see the ribbon, and pull at it, arming the submunition, and causing it to instantly explode, killing anyone nearby.

While they continue to be used in the conflict they have not been recorded on as wide a basis as the AO-1Sch, PTAB-2.5m, and ZAB 2.5 submunitions.

ShOAB-0.5

A rarer type of submunition appearing in March 2013 was the ShOAB-0.5, another Soviet-era submunition, this time dropped from the larger RBK series bomb, the RBK-500.  A copy of the American BLU-26, hundreds of these are carried in the RBK-500 cluster bomb, with each submunition carrying hundreds of metal ball-bearing, creating a devastating anti-personnel weapon.  So far only a handful of videos showing these submunitions have been posted online.

PTAB-2.5KO

This 6th type of submunition was only recorded once in May 2013, and has a slightly different delivery method from other air-dropped cluster submunitions.  The submunitions are carried in containers, and then released in batches, allowing them to be dropped in long lines, ideal for attacking convoys.  So far no other videos of these submunitions have been posted online.

AO-2.5RT

The latest submunition only appeared in June 2013 in Harbnafeh, Hama.  These types of cluster submunitions can be both dropped inside RBK series cluster bombs, as with the PTAB 2.5m or AO-1Sch types, or inside a KMGU/KMGU-2 container, like the PTAB 2.5KO bomblets.  So far there's only one example of these cluster submunitions recorded in the conflict.

Related Articles

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Cluster Munitions in Syria (ZAB-2.5 incendiary submunitions)

More Evidence Of Larger Cluster Bombs Being Deployed In Syria

Unexploded Cluster Bomblets Repurposed As DIY Mortar Bombs

Evidence Of New, Larger Cluster Bombs Being Used In Syria

Disposing Of Unexploded Cluster Bomblets, Jabhat al-Nusra Style

You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com

The Weapons Of The Syrian Air Force - Updated

Over the past months we've seen an escalation in the air war in Syria, with helicopters being joined by L-39 and MiG jets, and an increasing variety of weapons being deployed by the Syrian Air Force.  By examining the various UXO (Unexploded ordnance) filmed by opposition activists in Syria we can see which weapons are being used by the Syrian Air Force, and get an idea of the quantities being used.

S-5 Rockets

One of the most widely used weapons by the Syrian Air Force is the S-5 rocket, used from the earliest days of the air war, and capable of being used by both helicopters and jets.  They also featured heavily in the Libyan Civil War, generally fired from rocket pods welded to the backs of pick up trucks.

They have a very distinctive long thin body, usually a light metallic colour, with black stabliser fins at the rear.  The actual explosive charge it only at the very end of the missile, the rest of the body being used to hold propellant.  As the above videos demonstrates large numbers of rockets have been used across Syria.

AT-2 Swatters

AT-2 Swatter/3M11 Fleyta anti-tank missile have made rare appearances, the above example being from December 2012, around the same time their was a significant rise in the use of armour by the Syrian opposition.  Unlike the other bombs and missiles on this page the AT-2 has an in-built guidance system, the remains of which can be seen in the above video.

OFABs

OFABs are Russian made general purpose bombs (classified as fragmentation/blast bombs in Russia) designed for attacking lightly armoured vehicles, non-fortified structures, and personnel in the field.  The first OFABs to be identified as UXO in Syria were the larger OFAB 250-270 bombs

In August, around the same time as L-39s started being used in Aleppo and elsewhere, we began to see evidence of OFAB 100-120 bombs

It's interesting to note that since L-39s were first spotted in Aleppo I've collected around 30 examples of unexploded or partly exploded OFAB 100-120 bombs, compared to a handful of all other bomb types in the same period.  This strongly suggests that OFAB 100-120 bombs are the bomb of choice for the Syrian Air Force, and were very likely introduced alongside the use of L-39 jets in Aleppo.

FABs

In October 2012 Russian FAB M62 high explosive bombs first made an appearance.  These are simply large high explosive bombs, and while they haven't been used as widely as OFAB bombs they are far larger and much more powerful.  Unexploded FAB bombs have been spotted making up part of a massive truck bomb used by Jabhat al-Nusra.

RBK Cluster Bombs

RBK 250/250-275 cluster bomb dispensers and their associated cluster bomblets first made their appearance in the conflict around July 10th 2012 in the Jabal Shehshebo region in the Hama, later confirmed by Human Rights Watch.  Evidence of only one cluster bomb was found at that time, carrying AO-1 SCH fragmentation bomblets, designed to attack lightly armoured targets and ground personnel.  Here activists took the incredible risk of lining them up for a Youtube video

Cluster bombs are rather unique as they will nearly always leave behind evidence of their use, namely the dispenser part of the bomb which opens up when deployed to scatter the bomblets, rather than exploding like a traditional bomb.  This means that each bomb dropped can be reasonably expected to leave behind a casing.

Until August 2012 there were no more videos of cluster bombs or bomblets until activists in Abu Kamal posted this video

Again, they take a huge risk moving these bomblets to make a Youtube video, and what they are showing here are PTAB 2.5m cluster bomblets, primarily used as anti-armour weapons, but equally deadly to anything else in the area.

There were virtually no other reports of cluster bomb use until around October 10th, when shortly after the opposition captured a major highway in the Idlib region there was a sudden and massive increase in reports of cluster bomb use across the entire country.  Later, in late November, we saw the first images of incendiary cluster bombs loaded with thermite based ZAB incendiary bomblets.  This escalation in the air war appeared to occur shortly after a series of military bases were captured in the Aleppo region.

ZAB-100-105s

Around the same time ZAB incendiary cluster bombs made their first appearance in the conflict we also saw the first use of ZAB-100-105 incendiary bombs, containing both a napalm style mixture and 9 thermite cartridges designed to scatter on impact.  More details of the contents of these bombs can be found here.

ODABs

ODABs are fuel-air bombs which create huge explosive fireballs that are capable of much more destruction against buildings than an OFAB bomb.  It's believed by some people these bombs were used in Azaz in an incident where it appears only two bombs flattened houses in "an area of approximately 70-by-70 meters – more than half a football field" killing over 40 civilians.  Judging by UXO evidence it appears these bombs have only been used since August 2012, and not in huge quantities. More examples can be found here.

BETABs

So far only a few examples of BETAB penetration bombs have been recorded since their first appearance in September 2012, specifically the BETAB-500M62 free-fall 500kg model.  Designed to penetrate and destroy reinforced structures it's unclear why one would be used in a village outside of Aleppo, as the above example was.  While these bombs are cleared for use on the various jets used by the Syrian Air Force it's unclear if they can be dropped by helicopters.  More examples can be found here.

ADIEDs

From August 2012 there were multiple reports of ADIEDs (Air Deployed Improvised Explosive Devices) dropped across Syria.  To begin with multiple examples of what appears to be DIY bombs, barrels filled with explosives and piece of shrapnel were reportedly dropped from helicopters in locations across Syria, followed by an increasing number of reports of "TNT barrel" being dropped.

What appears to have happened is activists have begun to use the term "barrel bomb" or "TNT barrel" to describe pretty much any cylinder shape bomb they see being dropped, something that's reflected in the increasing number of videos being uploaded to Youtube described as showing "barrel bombs" or "TNT barrels" that in fact clearly are OFABs or one of the other bombs shown above.

In late October 2012 videos were posted online that showed members of the Syrian air force dropping these devices from the back of a helicopter, seemingly confirming that these improvised devices were being used by the Syrian Air Force.  More examples of ADIEDs can be found here.

Naval Mines

In December 2012 we saw the first sighting of naval mines dropped from helicopters in two locations in Syria.  It's unclear how effective these have been as weapons, or whether this reflects supply issues for the Syrian Air Force. 

Related Articles

Evidence Of Cluster Bombs Being Deployed In Syria

New Cluster Bomb Evidence Emerges From Syria

A Beginner's Guide To Identifying UXO In Syria

The Mystery Of The Syrian Barrel Bombs

New Bomb Identified In Syria 

You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com

Selected Cluster Bomb Videos October 17th - 23rd

Due to the large quantity of cluster bomb videos coming out of Syria at the moment it's not really reasonable to post endless videos of cluster bomb tail fins sticking out the ground, so I've selected some of the more interesting and unusual videos posted in the last week.

In this first video from Al Hivounah, Douma we see an excellent example of clearly marked cluster bomblets

This video from Maarrat al-Numan, Idlib shows the holes left by detonated cluster bomblets alongside bomblets that have become embedded in the ground after failing to detonate

Here we see the shrapnel left behind from exploded cluster bomblets in Kafr Tahari-m, Idlib

In this video from East Bweyda, Homs we see a cluster bomb canister's ejection rod causing difficulties for the people trying to remove it from the ground

In Alth, Idlib, this unusual video shows a cluster bomb canister tail lodged in the roof of a nearby building

The next two videos from East Bweyda, Homs, and Maarrat al-Numan, Idlib, claim to show civilians injured as result of cluster bomb attacks, but it's extremely difficult to verify the accuracy of the those claims

Human Rights Watch has put out a new report with more details of cluster bombs used in Syria in the two weeks since their last report.  I've been providing them with videos of cluster bombs during that time, and I would like to thank all of you who sent me links to videos for your help with gathering all the videos of cluster bombs in Syria.  I'm fairly confident the vast majority of videos (if not all) of cluster bombs in Syria were gathered together for this, along with many photographs.  More videos, photos, and images can be found on the HRW site, as well as this video explaining the details of the report

Related Articles
Collected Evidence Of Cluster Bombs Used In Syria
Evidence Of Cluster Bombs Being Deployed In Syria
New Cluster Bomb Evidence Emerges From Syria
A Beginner's Guide To Identifying UXO In Syria


You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com

New Cluster Bomb Videos October 17th

[Videos for October 16th]

To start with here's two pictures demonstrating extremely irresponsible behaviour with unexploded cluster bomblets, both showing AO1-Sch bomblets being held by children

[source]

[source]

On the opposite end of the UXO handling spectrum we have this video from al-Qusayr, Homs, showing PTAB 2.5m bomblets buried in the ground marked with circles of rocks as a warning to others, an effect unfortunately ruined by the handling of one of the bomblets at the end of the video

In Armanaz, Idlib, we have a series of videos, first two showing holes left by detonating bomblets, then one showing unexploded bomblets lodged in the ground, and finally one showing the tail end of a canister

In Maarrat al-Numan, Idlib, we have this photo of AO1-Sch bomblets, including the markings "55 107 77", which if I believe shows the factory it was manufactured in, the batch, and the year of manufacture, which is an interesting consideration when looking at these bomblets

[source]

Also from the same area we have 3 PTAB 2.5m cluster bomblets

In Ketian, Idlib, we have this canister tail

And we also have these two videos from unspecified locations in Idlib, one showing a tail section, another a bomblet lodged in the ground

In Taftanaz, Idlib, we have a unexploded AO1-Sch collection including one with the markings "55 78 74", and a photo gallery of the same bomblets, including one with the markings "55 107 77", seen on the bomblet in Maarrat al-Numan, Idlib

In Douma we have a cluster bomb canister and a clearly marked PTAB 2.5m bomblet

In Babbila, Damascus, the tail section of a canister

East Bweyda, Homs has this English subtitiled video with a collection of canister and bomblets, including some with the markings "55 47 74"

Finally this video from an unknown location

Related Articles
Collected Evidence Of Cluster Bombs Used In Syria
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New Cluster Bomb Evidence Emerges From Syria
A Beginner's Guide To Identifying UXO In Syria


You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com

New Cluster Bomb Videos October 16th Plus Bonus FABs

[Videos for October 15th]

Five new videos today, the first from Rastan, Homs, showing children showing off the AO-1 Sch cluster bomblets to the camera

This video from East Bweyda, Homs, shows a cluster bomb canister and AO-1 Sch cluster bomblets that are held up to the camera, showing the factory marking 56 47 74, the third number being the year of manufacture.  As with many of these bomblets they appears to have been manufactured in the 1970s and early 1980s

This video from Isqat, Idlib, shows a cluster bomb canister marked with RBK 250-275 and the bomblet type AO-1 Sch

Next we have two videos showing larger PTAB cluster bomblets, first from Hamouriyah, Damascus

And this video of a cluster bomb with PTAB bomblets from Al Bab, Aleppo, that appears to have crashed into a building without scattering the bomblets first

Thanks to @sherbalkis and @hlk01.

One other change in the air war I'd like to briefly highlight is the appearance of FABs.  You may have read about OFAB high explosive fragmentation bombs on my blog, which are very similar, the main difference being the design of the shell, with the OFAB's shell causing greater fragmentation compared to the FAB.  Here's a few examples spotted in recent weeks (thanks to Bjørn H Jespersen of the excellent .processing blog for help with this)

Related Articles
Collected Evidence Of Cluster Bombs Used In Syria
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New Cluster Bomb Evidence Emerges From Syria
A Beginner's Guide To Identifying UXO In Syria


You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com

New Cluster Bomb Videos October 15th

[Videos for October 13-14th]

Here's the latest videos of cluster bombs and bomblets from the last 24 hours in Syria, starting with two videos from Al-Bab, Aleppo, showing PTAB 2.5m bomblets, as well as the canister in the second video

This photograph was also taken in the same area [source]

This video from Urem al-Kubra, Aleppo shows a small group of AO1-Sch bomblets

In Mesraba, Damascus we have this pair of tail fins

And from Rankus, Damascus, we have this video showing multiple cluster bomb canisters and bomblets, as well as a gallery of photographs from the same area

In Talbiseh, Homs, we have this video showing a cluster bomb canister, and multiple bomblets

And in Dayr Ful, Homs, we have this video of a partial canister

From Duweir, Deir Ez Zor, a cluster bomb canister

And finally from Maarrat al-Numan, Idlib, this very interesting video that appears to show a cluster bomb that didn't deploy correctly and appears to have detonated with all the bomblets still inside, worth a look

Related Articles
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You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com

New Cluster Bomb Videos October 13th - 14th

The following are videos of clusters bombs collected over the last two days.  Earlier videos can be found here and here.  I also recommend reading the Human Rights Watch report, Syria: New Evidence Military Dropped Cluster Bombs, which goes explores the issues surrounding the use of cluster bombs in more detail.

First of all two videos showing the the tail section of cluster bomb canisters in the Damascus suburb of Hamouriah, northeast of the city.  It's unclear if these are two separate incident, although looking at the surrounding area it is possible

This video from Al Zafaraneah, Rastan shows another tail section buried in the soil

These next 3 videos from Kafar Takharim, Idlib, appears to show the same cluster bomb canister, which helpfully has the model and what is contains stenciled on the side, confirming this is a RBK 250-275 with AO1-Sch bomblets

Finally here's two videos from locations in Idlib, the second from Isqat, yet again showing partly buried tail sections

[Videos from October 15th]

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You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com

A Beginner's Guide To Identifying UXO In Syria

I'm frequently asked for help identifying a number of different UXO found in the towns and cities of Syria, and with this guide I hope to assist those of you trying to identify some of these finds, and also hopefully discourage the unnecessary handling of the various UXO found in Syria.  I should stress that any UXO should always be left alone as it's impossible to know how safe something is, and that knowing every little detail about a particular piece of UXO is never worth the life of an individual.


AA
These two pictures were posted online, and show the remains of a 23mm HE-I round fired by anti-aircraft guns, such as the ZU-23-2

 

Artillery
A wide variety of artillery shells are used in Syria, and you can generally tell them from unexploded mortar shells as one end has a gentler taper than mortars, as can be seen in these two examples

It should go without saying that you should never handle unexploded artillery rounds.

Cluster bombs
So far only one cluster bomb has been filmed in Syria, the RBK 250-275 dropped in Jabal Shehshebo region I blogged about when the video first appeared.  Activists made this video show the bomblets and bomb casing (more details here)

It should be noted that in moving these cluster bomblets to create this display the activists took a massive risk, and provided no additional information that couldn't have been provided in a far safer manner.  None of the new information relates to the bomblets themselves, just the information given by the men in the video.

Unlike a conventional bomb, a cluster bomb breaks open in flight scattering the bomblets, which means the bomb casing will always be left behind, so if a cluster bomb is dropped there should always be a bomb casing left somewhere.  However, it's also highly likely unexploded bomblets will be left in the area, and I would strongly advise anyone in the area to avoid the area the bomblets were dropped.

Grenade Rounds
Grenade cartridges, used in underbarrel grenade lauchers are quite rare, and in the below example we see the remains of a VOG round used with Russian weaponry

Mortars
Much like artillery, mortars in Syria come in a great range of sizes, all the way up to the massive 240mm mortars first identified as being used in Homs in February.  Generally all that remains are tail fins, which generally look about the same no matter what the size.  Here's a couple of example, one small and one from the 240mm mortar shell

So you can see that despite the huge size difference they are similar in many ways.  You've got a flat base, a number of curving fins, and holes punched into the stem.  For more examples this gallery has a whole range of mortars shell remains.  Here are two examples of unexploded mortar shells that have had their tails snapped off, and can be mixed up with unexploded artillery shells.  The first is a 240mm mortar shell, much larger than any artillery shell, the second a smaller mortar shell, which has the sharply tapering end that distinguishes it from a artillery shell

OFABs
OFABs are a range of bombs dropped from Hind helicopters, with only OFAB 250-270s being recorded as being dropped in Syria at the moment.  I've collected a large number of videos of them here, and the below video shows the most complete example

It should be stressed that as with handling any UXO the people in this video took an incredible risk moving this bomb from the crater it landed in, and UXO should always be left alone as it's impossible to know how safe they could be.

RPGs
A variety of RPG rockets are used in Syria, and generally they leave two distinct types of remains.  This first video shows the low explosive cartridges used to propel the rockets out of their launch tubes

You can see an example of the complete rocket with low explosive cartridge attached here.
Then we have the remains of the rockets, which are being pointed to in the below picture (taken from this video)

These are generally quite easy to spot as they are quite thin, and have many holes stamped into them, a clear example of which can be seen on image (source)

Another example of a badly bent RPG motor is shown below, along with another mortar tail fin

S-5 Rockets
The S-5 rocket is a common sight in many videos from Syria, launched from Hinds armed with rocket pods.  They also featured heavily in the Libyan Civil War, generally fired from rocket pods welded to the backs of pick up trucks.

They have a very distinctive long thin body, usually a light metallic colour, with black stabliser fins at the rear.  The actual explosive charge it only at the very end of the missile, the rest of the body being used to hold propellant.  Other examples are here, here, and here.

If you come across any other examples you think aren't mentioned on this page please send them to me and I will attempt to identify them and add them to this page.  It should again be stressed that UXO should never be handled as they present a very high risk to the person handling them and anyone nearby.


Related posts
Two Examples Of Filming Unexploded S-5 Rockets (Updated With Bonus Child Endangerment)
Two More Examples Of How Not To Handle UXO From Syria
How Not To Handle Unexploded Ordnance - A Syrian Top Ten


You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com