Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

TS519

Incident date

June 20, 2022

Location

راجو, Rajo, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

A man was killed when an alleged Turkish armored vehicle ran him over while he was walking in the town of Rajo of Afrin on June 20, 2022.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a civilian from Rajo district in Afrin was killed when a Turkish armored vehicle ran over him in the center of Rajo district. SOHR added that the civilian that was killed owned a food shop in Rajo district.

Baladi News correspondent in Aleppo countryside said that a man in his fifties named “Rasheed Mahk“, nicknamed “Abu Subhi”, was run over by a Turkish armored vehicle while it was passing through the town’s market. The incident occurred in the morning in front of the military police headquarters.

A local source told Ezdina that ” the Turkish military vehicle deliberately ran over the civilian, and although the driver of the Turkish vehicle stopped, he did not attempt to rescue him”. All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the death to a Turkish military vehicle.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

"Rasheed Mahk", nicknamed "Abu Subhi" "رشيد محك" الملقب "أبو صبحي"
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Accidents related to conflict, Use of objects and other means
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of "Rasheed Mahk", nicknamed "Abu Subhi"was killed when a Turkish armored vehicle ran him over in the Rajudistrict of Afrin on June 20, 2022. (Image posted by Baladi News)
  • "Rasheed Mahk", nicknamed "Abu Subhi"was killed when a Turkish armored vehicle ran him over in the Rajudistrict of Afrin on June 20, 2022. (Image posted by Ezdina)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Rajo (راجو), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.676477, 36.664002. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Accidents related to conflict, Use of objects and other means
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS395 RS4181

Incident date

November 18, 2019

Location

تيري, Tayri, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.841111, 38.469167 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one young woman was reported injured in eastern Kobane, after allegedly being hit by a Turkish-Russian patrol vehicle during on-going protests by locals against the presence of foreign forces in the area.

ANF reported that “the people protested against the patrol by throwing stones. A young woman was hit by a vehicle of the military convoy and was badly injured on her foot. She was then taken to the hospital of Kobanê. The injured woman explained that the vehicle had deliberately hit her”.

NPA and VDC reported that two civilian vehicles had been struck during the protests, while ANF claimed that the Turkish-Russian troops were deliberately targeting protesting civilians. The injured woman was said to have been taken to hospital, where she was treated for significant injuries to her leg or foot. NPA was alone in referencing two civilians injured in the event.

The location of the event was reported by one local source as the village of Tayri.

Local news source Rojava Information Centre reported that ‘local anger continues to grow’ against the Turkish-Russian patrols in and around Kobane.

The incident occured during the day.

The victims were named as:

Name unknown
Adult female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Use of objects and other means
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • A van damaged after allegedly being attacked as civilians protested against Turkish and Russian military patrols in the eastern countryside of Kobanî, Aleppo governorate, on November 18th, 2019 (via ANF).
  • A woman allegedly deliberately hit by a military vehicle, badly injured on her foot and taken to hospital of Kobane on November 18th, 2019 (via ANF).
  • A van damaged after allegedly being attacked as civilians protested against Turkish and Russian military patrols in the eastern countryside of Kobanî, Aleppo governorate, on November 18th, 2019 (via NPA).
  • Images of attacks on civilians who protested against Turkish and Russian military patrols in the eastern countryside of Kobanî, Aleppo governorate, on November 18th, 2019 (via NPA).
  • Civilians protested against Turkish and Russian military patrols in the eastern countryside of Kobanî, Aleppo governorate, on November 18th, 2019 (via NPA).
  • Image showing the Turkish Patrol convoy in the eastern countryside of Kobanî, Aleppo governorate, on November 18th, 2019 (via @VDCNS).
  • A car damaged after being attacked by a joint Turkish and Russian military convoy in the eastern countryside of Kobanî, Aleppo governorate, on November 18th, 2019 (via @VDCNS).
  • Image showing Turkish and Russian military patrols attacking protesters in the eastern countryside of Kobanî, Aleppo governorate, on November 18th, 2019 (via @NPA).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tayri (تيري), for which the coordinates are: 36.841111, 38.469167. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Use of objects and other means
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS319

Incident date

October 12, 2019

Location

تروازية checkpoint, Tirwaziya checkpoint, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.460242, 39.593628 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (other) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians including a female politician, The Secretary General of the Future Syria Party, Hevrin Khalaf, were “executed” when the convoy they were travelling in was reportedly ambushed by “Turkish backed mercenary factions” on the road between Jazeera canton and Ain Issa, multiple sources said. Hervin Khalaf’s driver Farhad Ramadan was also believed to be killed in the attack.

@IndivisibleNet said that Hevrin Khalaf was “raped” and then “stoned” to death, but the official autopsy report did not mention any signs of rape.

Amnesty International collected witness testimonies, verified video footage and reviewed a medical report to conclude that Khalaf was “was ambushed on 12 October on the international highway linking Raqqa to Qamishli. She was dragged out of her car, beaten and shot dead in cold blood by fighters from Ahrar al-Sharqiya. They also summarily killed her bodyguard”.

Kurdistan 24 reported: “Yenisafak, a Turkish newspaper close to the regime of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed the Saturday killing of Syrian Kurdish politician Hevrin Khalaf and hailed it as a success in Ankara’s ongoing invasion of northern Syria after US President Donald Trump ordered American troops out. Khalaf, 35, the General Secretary of Syria Future Party, was executed on the spot by the SNA militants, according to a statement her party released.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added that it had “documented the death of a female party official accompanied by two civilians. They were shot dead by the Turkey loyal factions in Qameshly – al-Raqqah road as they were travelling in civilian cars to join the ‘Human Shields Tent’ sit-in in Tal Abyad city”.

@IndivisibleNet claimed that Hevrin Khalaf had  “been raped then then stoned to death by Turkey backed Jihadists during Turkey’s ethnic cleansing operation against Kurds in Syria”.

NRT provided more detail on the victim: “The Secretary General of the Future Syria Party Hevrin Khalaf was killed on Saturday morning (October 12) after several gunmen backed by Turkey shot her and her driver on the main highway between Qamishli and Manbij.

“This is clear evidence that the Turkish state is continuing its criminal policy towards unarmed civilians,” a statement from the Syrian Democratic Council said. Hevrin Khalaf was born in 1984 in Al-Malikiyah town, also known as Derik, and became a graduate from the Faculty of Civil Engineering in 2009. She recently founded the Future Syria Party, which promoted democracy, pluralism, and decentralism.”

Hawarnews described Hevrin Khalaf as “a role model for society in the most difficult times”.

ANF published footage, stating: “In the footage our agency ANF has received it could be see how the mercenaries from Ceyş El Vatani try to destroy the bodies of their victim. The car is that of Hevrin Khalaf.”

BBC news Arabic conducted an investigation into the incident that was published as a video by BBC News on January 13th, 2020. The investigation found out that a convoy that belongs to Ahrar Al Sharqiya, a faction of the Syrian National Army supported by Turkey, crossed from Turkey to Syria on the morning of that day. They took over a checkpoint on the motorway between Hasakah and Manbej. A video of them at the checkpoint show them arresting people and executing one person. Through satellite images, the investigators were able to identify the features of the area and locate the videos to be on the M4 Highway, which Hevrin Khalaf was passing through to get to a meeting from Hassaka to Raqqa, her party’s headquarters.The checkpoint that Ahrar Al Sharqiya took over was identified as Tirwaziya checkpoint.

The investigation said that Hevrin Khalaf’s car was approaching towards the same checkpoint, on which people were being executed. The car was shot at, blowing out its tyres. The investigation geo-located the car’s near the checkpoint. Ahrar Al Sharqiya confirmed to BBC that few of their members were on Tirwaziya checkpoint on that day and that they opened fire at a car that didn’t stop, and claimed they didn’t target Hevrin specifically and did’t know who was killed.

The investigation believes that when the car stopped, SNA members approached the car, the driver’s body is on the floor and Hevrin is still inside the car alive, and she was able to identify herself to the fighters. Also, most of her car windows are bulletproof and were intact.

A farmer which BBC spoke to as a witness said the fighters left the area around 07:30 am on that day leaving behind bodies of those killed. He first saw Hevrin’s body, and her face was disfigured, with her leg badly damaged and probably broken.

The farmer said he found nine bodies on the Tirwaziya checkpoint and said people wouldn’t help in moving the bodies fearing they might face the same fate.

At 12 pm, the bodies of Hevrin and three other people were moved to the Malikiya Military Hospital. The medical report states that Hevrin was shot more than 20 times, both legs were broken and she was subject to severe physical assault.

The investigation concludes that the above-mentioned “Hevrin was dragged from the car alive, physically attacked and executed outside the car by Ahrar Al Sharqiya fighters.”

In a statement, Ahrar Al Sharqiya told BBC those who executed Hevrin Khalaf did so without permission and that they have been sent to trial.

 

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Hevrin Khalaf
35 years old male The Secretary General of the Future Syria Party killed
Adult male Hervin's driver killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons, Use of objects and other means
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Free Syrian Army

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • Hevrin Khalaf, 35, the General Secretary of Syria Future Party, reportedly "execuedt" by Tirkish-backed mercenaries on Oct 12th (via 35, the General Secretary of Syria Future Party)
  • The abandoned car in which Herwin Khalaf and two other civilians were reportedly killed by Turkey-bcaked mercenaries, oct 12th (via NRT)
  • The abandoned car in which Herwin Khalaf and two other civilians were reportedly killed by Turkey-bcaked mercenaries, oct 12th (via @TurkeyUntold)
  • The abandoned car in which Herwin Khalaf and two other civilians were reportedly killed by Turkey-bcaked mercenaries, oct 12th (via @TurkeyUntold)
  • The abandoned car in which Herwin Khalaf and two other civilians were reportedly killed by Turkey-bcaked mercenaries, oct 12th (via @TurkeyUntold)
  • Footage by ANF. The new outlet said: "In the footage our agency ANF has received it could be see how the mercenaries from Ceyş El Vatani try to destroy the bodies of their victim. The car is that of Hevrin Khalaf." (via ANF)
  • Autopsy report of the body of Hevrin Khalaf, who was executed by alleged "Turkish backed mercenary factions" on the highway linking Raqqa to Qamishli on October 12th, 2019 (via @rcallimachi).
  • Autopsy report of the body of Hevrin Khalaf, who was executed by alleged "Turkish backed mercenary factions" on the highway linking Raqqa to Qamishli on October 12th, 2019 (via @rcallimachi).
  • UN Commission of inquiry on Syria. September 2020.

Geolocation notes (3) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Tirwaziya (تروازية) checkpoint, located on the M4 highway between Raqqa (الرقة) and Hassakah (الحسكة). Extensive research by Newsy & Bellingcat, and the BBC, show this location to be at these coordinates are:  36.460242, 39.593628.

  • Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • Imagery:
    BBC

  • Imagery:
    Newsy & Bellingcat

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Free Syrian Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Free Syrian Army
  • Free Syrian Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman2 men)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons, Use of objects and other means
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Free Syrian Army

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1922

Incident date

July 4, 2019

Location

شاميكو, Shamikou, Al-Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.582778, 40.568889 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One child was reported killed, and another injured, in a collision with a vehicle belonging to the US-led Coalition in Al-Hasakah on July 4th.

Haleb Today TV documented that those wounded and injured were two children, stating that a correspondent from Aleppo Today reported “a child killed and another seriously injured in a traffic accident between the patrol of the International Coalition and a motorcycle on which two children were traveling, near the village of Shomukh rural western Hasaka.”

According to this source, “the correspondent added that the child Hani Al Afin – 12 years old – was killed after the incident, while the child Yasser Abdul-Baki – 15 years – had a concussion, and required the amputation of one of his fingers in addition to various wounds in the body.”

While other sources referred to those harmed in the incident as children, Smart News alleged that “one person died and another was injured in a collision between a vehicle of the International Coalition and a motorcycle west of the city of Hasaka.”

Meanwhile, Syria TV News reported that “a civilian was killed and another wounded Thursday when their motorbike was run over by a vehicle belonging to the International Coalition in the province of Hasaka, northeast of Syria.”

Kurdstreet News and Rojava052 stated that the vehicle involved in the incident was a “French patrol of the International Coalition.”

In its January 2021 monthly civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition determined this event to be ‘non credible’, asserting: “After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members

The victims were named as:

15 years old years old male injured
12 years old years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Use of objects and other means
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Image caption translation: "A civilian was killed and another was injured in a traffic accident on the Hasaka road. Kurdish media reported that an international Coalition convoy collided with civilians on their motorcycle on the Hasaka road - Ain Issa, killing one of them and injuring the other." (via Jist TV).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a traffic accident on the highway connecting Hasaka (الحسكة) to Ayn Issa (عين عيسى). Some sources mention the junction east of the village of Shamikou (شاميكو) as the location of the incident. The generic coordinates for the village are: 36.582778, 40.568889. Due to limited information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    in Shamikou, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFA403497
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 6, 2021
  • Jun. 4, 2019, in Shamikou, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 3279/CS1922 37SFA403497

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Use of objects and other means
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected target
    ISIS

Sources (14) [ collapse]