Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

TS566

Incident date

November 20, 2022

Location

تفل بقل, Takl Bakl, Al Hassakah, Syria

Airwars assessment

Up to 12 civilians, including two women, a journalist, and a health care worker, were killed and between three and six others were wounded in alleged Turkish airstrikes and drone strikes in the village of Takl Bakl on November 20, 2022.

Rojava Information Center reported that Turkish forces carried out airstrikes on a power station in Takl Bakl, destroying the power station and causing a power outage in the 65 surrounding villages, in addition to killing one of the workers at the station. Following the strikes, just after civilians and medical personnel came to the site to help, Turkey bombed the same location again, killing 10 civilians and injuring six, in addition to carrying out a drone strike on a car driving away from the site.

Rojava Information Center also published the names of the civilians killed: Husin Ali, Isam Abdullah (Journalist), Chichak Harouni, Hilal Qasim, Hadia Abdullah, Mazin Osi, Husin Khilto, Noury Chafchi, Fayez Abdullah, Mahmoud Ali, Abid Khalid. 

North News put the casualty numbers at nine killed and three others injured, identifying Hawar News Agency’s correspondent Isam Abdullah among the dead. Hawar News provided a biographer for their correspondent who had been working to expose the truth for eight years: “Isam was born in 1984 in the town of Abera in Jal Agha district in Qamishlo canton. He completed primary school in the village and middle school and high school in the town of Rumailan, and studied the Arabic language department at Damascus University. Isam worked as a teacher in Damascus for a period of time, and with the outbreak of the Rojava revolution, he returned to his home and joined the activities and events of the revolution. He started working in the field of journalism in 2015 as a correspondent for Ronahi newspaper, and in 2017 he joined our agency.”

Kobani News reported that 11 civilians and a journalist were killed, while Rudaw News referred to “at least 11 civilians killed”. Hawar News reported that the funeral for 12 of the “citizens” killed in the bombing occurred at the shrine of the martyr Khabat Dêrik in Dêrik district of Qamishlo canton on Monday, and an image shows that among the 12 killed were two women.

A Facebook post by كيفك وجعي Keifek Wajai added the name Hussein Ramadan Tai, a healthcare worker who was killed on his way to treat the wounded from the bombing.

The General Manager of the Directorate of Electricity in the Jazira region, Akram Suleiman, told North Press that the targeted plant in the village of Takl Bakl was completely destroyed, in addition to the death of one of the plant workers and the injury of two others. The General Manager also added that there were no military operations or posts within the plant.

According to الخابور khabour via Facebook, Turkish forces also bombed a PYD/PKK headquarters in the countryside of Al-Malikiyah, killing a member of the PYD/PKK named Dia Hooker.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the strikes to Turkey.

The incident occured after midnight.

The victims were named as:

Husin Ali
Age unknown male killed
Isam Abdullah
Age unknown male Journalist killed
Chichak Harouni
Age unknown female killed
Hilal Qasim
Age unknown male killed
Hadia Abdullah
Age unknown female killed
Mazin Osi
Age unknown male killed
Husin Khilto
Age unknown male killed
Noury Chafchi
Age unknown male killed
Fayez Abdullah
Age unknown male killed
Mahmoud Ali
Age unknown male killed
Abid Khalid
Age unknown male killed
Hussein Ramadan Tai
Age unknown male Healthcare worker killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 12
  • (2 women2 men1 journalist1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–6
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (16) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Takl Bakl on November 20, 2022. (Image posted by Rojava Information Center)
  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Takl Bakl on November 20, 2022. (Image posted by Rojava Information Center)
  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Takl Bakl on November 20, 2022. (Image posted by Rojava Information Center)
  • (Hussein Ramadan Tai) was martyred in the village of Takl Bakl while he was on his way to treat the wounded by the bombing of the Turkish occupation in northern and eastern Syria.
  • Victims of the bombing in the village of Takl Bakl on November 20, 2022. (Image posted by Kobani News via Facebook)
  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Takl Bakl on November 20, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Takl Bakl on November 20, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • Journalist Isam Abdullah, killed in the village of Takl Bakl on November 20, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Takl Bakl on November 20, 2022. (Image posted by North Press Agency)
  • Member of the PYD/PKK named Dia Hooker, killed by alleged Turkish airstrikes on November 20, 2022. (Image posted by الخابور khabour via Facebook)
  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Takl Bakl on November 20, 2022. (Image posted by الخابور Khabour via Facebook)
  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Takl Bakl on November 20, 2022. (Image posted by الخابور Khabour via Facebook)
  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Takl Bakl on November 20, 2022. (Image posted by الخابور Khabour via Facebook)
  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Takl Bakl on November 20, 2022. (Image posted by الخابور Khabour via Facebook)

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 12
  • (2 women2 men1 journalist1 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–6
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (22) [ collapse]