Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

TS464

Incident date

January 23, 2021

Location

تل رفعت, Tal Rifa'at, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.472576, 37.096272 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians including a mother and her two children were reported killed, and eleven others injured as a result of a alleged Turkish shelling, or pro-Turkey militants on Tal Rifat town in Aleppo’s northern countryside, Syria on January 23rd, 2021.

The shelling also reportedly caused material damage to the locals houses, the private and public properties and the infrastructure.

Ridaw said “Five-year-old Yasser Sakran and twelve-year-old Ebid al-Mohsen Sakran were both killed. The third person who died, Nazliye Mohammed Mustafa, was originally from Afrin, according to Hawar News Agency, an outlet affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).” ANHA reported that the woman is the mother of the two children.

The initial reports spoke about three victims, but then a forth civilian, Saad al-Din al-Qais aged 31, died of his injuries raising death toll.

North Press Agency (NPA) said that the injured civilians were transferred to Afrin Hospital, some of them in critical condition. However, the Rojava Information Centre reported 11 wounded civilians as a result of the attack.

Thousands of IDPs from Tal Rafa’at, Afrin and Alshahba joined the funeral of the victims.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

55 years old female Originally from Afrin killed
Age unknown male From Tal Rifaat injured

The victims were named as:

31 years old male Died in the hospital of his injuries. A source added Sakran to his surname so he could be part of the family that lost other three members in the same day. killed
35 years old male From Bulbul injured
19 years old female injured
15 years old male From Afrin injured
33 years old male From Shara town injured
31 years old male From Shiye town injured

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Tal Rifa’at (تل رفعت), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.472576, 37.096272. 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
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (2 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–11
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF

Sources (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (24) [ collapse]

  • Funeral of four or five civilians killed by alleged Turkey shelling on Tal Rifa'at on January 23rd, 2021 (via @BehnamZarei21)
  • Funeral of four or five civilians killed by alleged Turkey shelling on Tal Rifa'at on January 23rd, 2021 (via @BehnamZarei21)
  • Funeral of four or five civilians killed by alleged Turkey shelling on Tal Rifa'at on January 23rd, 2021 (via @BehnamZarei21)
  • Funeral of four or five civilians killed by alleged Turkey shelling on Tal Rifa'at on January 23rd, 2021 (via @BehnamZarei21)
  • Funeral of four or five civilians killed by alleged Turkey shelling on Tal Rifa'at on January 23rd, 2021 (via NPA)
  • Images of the funeral of four or five civilians killed by Turkish shelling in Tal Rifa'at on Jan 23rd, attended by thousands of IDPs. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the funeral of four or five civilians killed by Turkish shelling in Tal Rifa'at on Jan 23rd, attended by thousands of IDPs. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the mother and two children killed in alleged Turkish shelling on Tal Rifa'at on January 23rd, 2021. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the funeral of four or five civilians killed by Turkish shelling in Tal Rifa'at on Jan 23rd, attended by thousands of IDPs. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the funeral of four or five civilians killed by Turkish shelling in Tal Rifa'at on Jan 23rd, attended by thousands of IDPs. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the funeral of four or five civilians killed by Turkish shelling in Tal Rifa'at on Jan 23rd, attended by thousands of IDPs. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the funeral of four or five civilians killed by Turkish shelling in Tal Rifa'at on Jan 23rd, attended by thousands of IDPs. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the funeral of four or five civilians killed by Turkish shelling in Tal Rifa'at on Jan 23rd, attended by thousands of IDPs. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the funeral of four or five civilians killed by Turkish shelling in Tal Rifa'at on Jan 23rd, attended by thousands of IDPs. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the funeral of four or five civilians killed by Turkish shelling in Tal Rifa'at on Jan 23rd, attended by thousands of IDPs. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the funeral of four or five civilians killed by Turkish shelling in Tal Rifa'at on Jan 23rd, attended by thousands of IDPs. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the funeral of four or five civilians killed by Turkish shelling in Tal Rifa'at on Jan 23rd, attended by thousands of IDPs. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the mother and two children killed in alleged Turkish shelling on Tal Rifa'at on January 23rd, 2021. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the funeral of four or five civilians killed by Turkish shelling in Tal Rifa'at on Jan 23rd, attended by thousands of IDPs. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the funeral of four or five civilians killed by Turkish shelling in Tal Rifa'at on Jan 23rd, attended by thousands of IDPs. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the funeral of four or five civilians killed by Turkish shelling in Tal Rifa'at on Jan 23rd, attended by thousands of IDPs. (via SOHR)
  • Images of the funeral of four or five civilians killed by Turkish shelling in Tal Rifa'at on Jan 23rd, attended by thousands of IDPs. (via SOHR)

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (2 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–11
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF

Sources (17) [ collapse]