Yesterday, Bellingcat published its report on the bombing of the Syrian Red Crescent aid convoy on September 19th. The report examined various aspects of the attack using open source information, including the comparison of what appeared to be the tail section of a OFAB 250-270 bomb that appeared in images from the attack, first published by CIT.
Since the post was published the Bellingcat team has been in touch with the Syrian Civil Defence unit closest to the attacked site, who recovered and photographed two pieces of debris.
In addition, an image showing the location of the debris was published, showing the likely entry point of the munition.
Based on this it is possible to make an accurate identification of the munition debris recovered as coming from the tail section of an OFAB 250-270 high explosive fragmentation bomb.
OFAB 250-270s are unguided bombs previously documented as being used by both the Syrian and Russian air forces extensively in their bombing campaigns in Syria.
Top left: a frame from a White Helmets video showing what appear to be a barrel bomb fragment; top right: photo of an unexploded barrel bomb in Hama; bottom left: AFP photo likely showing a part of an OFAB-250-270 tail; bottom right: frame from a Ruptly video showing OFAB-250-270 bombs attached to a Su-25 ground attack jet at Russia’s Hmeimim airbase in Syria
These bombs, originating from the weapons factories of the USSR and Russian Federation, are not used by aircraft manufactured by NATO countries, nor are they used by Predator drones.
The identity of the bomb is clear from the above comparison, the only question that remains is whether it was Russian or Syrian aircraft that dropped it on the Syrian Red Crescent aid convoy.
See also: Who is bombing Syria: the names of Russian pilots who killed civillian. Infographics
