Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

TI032

Incident date

January 15, 2020

Location

دوكوري, Dugure, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.471389, 41.745556 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four and eleven people were killed and up to five people, including one civilian, were reported injured in an alleged Turkish strike on a YBS base in the town of Dugure, Sinjar governorate, on January 15th, 2020, according to local sources.

Ekurd reported that Turkish warplanes had “bombed targets in the Dugure community in the mainly Yazidi Sinjar (Shingal) district. YBS commander Zardasht Shingali and four fighters were killed and five others, including a civilian, were wounded in the bombardment.”

According to Big News Network, the military press office stated that “five YBS members were killed at 11:35 local time (08:35 GMT) this Wednesday in the unidentified airstrike in the Hittin base, in the northern part of the Nineveh Operations Command division.”

Bas News reported eleven killed and stated that the brother of Shingali was also killed. The other nine killed were allegedly also fighters with the YBS. The YBS themselves reported in a written statement that four of their fighters had been killed, according to @dersi4m. An eyewitness told Kurdistan24: “I saw eight dead bodies with my own eyes and there were multiple other wounded people.”

Khadida Joki, director of Sunoon district, north of Sinjar district, said in a statement to Kirkuk Now that “Turkish planes targeted at 11:00 p.m. today, Wednesday, due to the targeting of the headquarters of Sinjar protection units.”

Saeb Khadr Nayef, the representative of the Yazidi quota in the House of Representatives, released a statement after the airstrike, stating that “unknown aircraft, as described by the Iraqi Security Media Cell today, targeted one of the Yezidi complexes (Hittin Complex) located in the north in the Sinjar district, and this is not the first time that In which the Sinjar district is targeted by aircraft that are not officially disclosed by the competent Iraqi authorities, this act that violates the national atmosphere and Iraqi sovereignty has resulted in loss of life and martyrdom of innocent Yazidis, not to mention the state of panic and fear that occurred between the people.”

The incident occured between 11:00 am and 11:35 am local time.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Dugure (دوكوري) for which the generic coordinates are: 36.471389, 41.745556.  Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4–11
  • Belligerents reported injured
    5

Sources (23) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of alleged Turkish airstrikes on the Digure community in the mainly Yazidi Sinjar district on January 15th, 2020 (via Ekurd Daily).
  • Zardasht Shingali, chief of YBS, a PKK affiliated group, was reportedly killed in a Turkish airstrike on the village of Dugure, Nineveh province, on January 15th, 2020 (via @BarzanSadiq).
  • Aftermath of alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Digure in the mainly Yazidi Sinjar district on January 15th, 2020 (via ANF English).
  • Photo of one of the YBS (Sinjar Resistance Units) fighters who were killed in an alleged Turkish attack on the village of Digure in the mainly Yazidi Sinjar district on January 15th, 2020. Name unknown (via @dersi4m).
  • Photo of one of the YBS (Sinjar Resistance Units) fighters who were killed in an alleged Turkish attack on the village of Digure in the mainly Yazidi Sinjar district on January 15th, 2020. Name unknown (via @dersi4m).
  • Photo of one of the YBS (Sinjar Resistance Units) fighters who were killed in an alleged Turkish attack on the village of Digure in the mainly Yazidi Sinjar district on January 15th, 2020. Name unknown (via @dersi4m).
  • Photo of Zardasht Shingali, chief of YBS, a PKK affiliated group, was reportedly killed in a Turkish airstrike on the village of Dugure, Nineveh province, on January 15th, 2020 (via @dersi4m).

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4–11
  • Belligerents reported injured
    5

Sources (23) [ collapse]