2011 Syrian Civil War

9N235 Cluster Submunition in the 2011 Syrian Civil War

The 9N235 was documented in Syria as the payload of 9M55K Smerch cluster rockets, with direct evidence from Kafr Zita in February 2014 and later Human Rights Watch documentation of 2015 attacks.

Weapon profile9N235 cluster submunition
SideSyrian government and alliesRoleFire SupportArea Denial
9N235 cluster submunition, High-explosive fragmentation cluster submunition, Munitions - 2011 Syrian Civil War
Image source: Commons 9N235 cassette image

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
9N235 submunitions were used in Syria as the payload of 9M55K Smerch cluster rockets.

Sources: ARES 9M55K and 9N235 in Syria, HRW Syria New Deadly Cluster Munition Attacks, HRW Russia Syria Extensive Cluster Munition Use

The February 2014 Keferzita/Kafr Zita evidence ties 9M55K and 9N235 remnants to attacks in Hama governorate.

Sources: ARES 9M55K and 9N235 in Syria, HRW Syria New Deadly Cluster Munition Attacks

Human Rights Watch attributed the February 2014 Keferzita 9M55K/9N235 attacks to Syrian government forces.

Sources: HRW Syria New Deadly Cluster Munition Attacks

Human Rights Watch documented additional 2015 9M55K/9N235 incidents during Syrian-Russian operations.

Sources: HRW Russia Syria Extensive Cluster Munition Use

Timeline

9N235 cluster submunition In 2011 Syrian Civil War

  1. Keferzita attack reported

    Human Rights Watch reported that Syrian government forces used 9M55K rockets with 9N235 submunitions in attacks on Keferzita on February 12 and 13, 2014.

    Sources: HRW Syria New Deadly Cluster Munition Attacks

  2. ARES publishes Kafr Zita identification

    ARES identified video evidence from Kafr Zita showing a 9M55K cargo-rocket remnant and a nearby unexploded 9N235 submunition.

    Sources: ARES 9M55K and 9N235 in Syria

  3. Kafr Zita 9M55K/9N235 attack listed

    Human Rights Watch listed Kafr Zita, Hama, among confirmed October 2015 incidents involving a 9M55K rocket with 9N235 submunitions.

    Sources: HRW Russia Syria Extensive Cluster Munition Use

  4. Al-Naqeer camp evidence identified

    Human Rights Watch identified remnants of a 9M55K rocket and an unexploded 9N235 submunition after a cluster-munition attack near Al-Naqeer in Idlib province.

    Sources: HRW Russia Syria Extensive Cluster Munition Use

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

Armament Research Services identified a 300 mm 9M55K cargo-rocket remnant and an unexploded 9N235 fragmentation submunition in videos from the Kafr Zita area of Hama governorate in February 2014. ARES assessed that the submunition was likely deployed from a 9M55K rocket because the rocket remnant and unexploded submunition appeared close together in time and location.

Human Rights Watch separately reported that Syrian government forces used 9M55K rockets containing 9N235 submunitions in attacks on Keferzita on February 12 and 13, 2014. HRW said a local doctor reported two civilian deaths and 10 civilian injuries, and that at least 20 unexploded submunitions were collected after the rocket attacks.

Sources: ARES 9M55K and 9N235 in Syria, HRW Syria New Deadly Cluster Munition Attacks

Timeline

The first public documentation clustered around Kafr Zita in mid-February 2014. Videos uploaded on February 12 showed a 9M55K-series cargo rocket remnant, and a video uploaded on February 14 showed an unexploded 9N235 submunition in the same area.

Human Rights Watch later documented further 9M55K and 9N235 use during the September 2015 Russian-Syrian offensive. Its December 2015 report listed 9M55K rockets with 9N235 submunitions at Kafr Zita on October 7 and Al-Naqeer on October 9, and identified a 9M55K remnant and unexploded 9N235 submunition from video of the Al-Naqeer camp attack.

Sources: ARES 9M55K and 9N235 in Syria, HRW Russia Syria Extensive Cluster Munition Use

Narrative

In the Syrian conflict, the 9N235 appears as a rocket-artillery payload rather than a standalone weapon. A 9M55K Smerch rocket carries 72 9N235 fragmentation submunitions, which disperse over an area after release from the carrier rocket.

The documented Syrian cases connect the 9N235 to government-side or Syrian-Russian operations against opposition-held areas. ARES noted in 2014 that the presence of Smerch-family rockets was unexpected because 9K58 Smerch launchers had not previously been documented in Syrian service, and it did not determine how Syria obtained the rockets or launch systems. Human Rights Watch attributed the February 2014 Keferzita attacks to Syrian government forces and later assessed that Russian or Syrian forces were responsible for a wider set of 2015 cluster-munition attacks.

Sources: ARES 9M55K and 9N235 in Syria, HRW Syria New Deadly Cluster Munition Attacks, HRW Russia Syria Extensive Cluster Munition Use

Videos

9N235 cluster submunition In 2011 Syrian Civil War

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Sources