On the 23rd of November, 2023, a number of civilians, reportedly cotton workers, were injured and a car was severely damaged by an alleged Turkish artillery strike on the village of Qarfal, near the town of Ain Issa in Tell Abyad District, to the north of Raqqa, Syria. Several reports on the strike stated that more than one civilian was injured; however, the specific number remains unknown.

The alleged strike was reported by a number of media outlets. On November 23rd, the news network ‘Med Post’ reported that the Turkish army had “bombarded the village of Qarfal in the countryside of Ain Issa district with mortar shells”. Med Post went on to state that the strike “resulted in the injury of civilians, the number of whom cannot be known, and a car belonging to a citizen was severely damaged”.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), in a report also dated the 23rd of November, claimed that “shells fell near an agricultural vehicle of cotton workers in the village of Qarfal, causing material damage in addition to the injuries”. SOHR noted that Turkish forces had established a new military base in the ‘Peace Spring’ operations area, bringing in heavy vehicles on the 9th of November, in addition to new infantry forces.

A November 23rd report by Hawar News supported the claim that in addition to civilians being injured by the attack, ”villagers property was damaged”. Kobani Voice (also reporting on November 23rd) stated that “a car was targeted in the village” and that the strike had “led to the injury of a number of civilians”. Moreover, the report from Kobani Voice contained several photos showing the damaged vehicle with holes visible in its panels and doors.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to the Turkish military.