Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

An internally displaced Kurdish family in northern Iraq, 2016 (Maranie R. Staab)

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Turkish Military
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Incident Code

TS050

Incident date

January 14, 2017

Location

بزاعة , Beza’a city, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.3829071, 37.56666 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman died and one man was injured in shelling on Beza’a city, Syria, according to local media.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “a woman was killed and her husband was wounded in Turkish artillery and rocket shelling on areas in Bzaah town near al-Bab city”.

Al Bab24 reported the death of “the wife of Ahmad Salah Kassem, the daughter of Mr. Haseeb” in “artillery shelling” – though it didn’t name the culprit.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

the wife of Ahmad Salah Kassem
Adult female the daughter of Mr. Haseeb killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Facebook post naming the victim of an alleged Turkish airstrike, 13th January 2017. (via Al bab 24 facebook)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Beza’a city (بزاعة ), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.3829071, 37.56666. 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

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS089

Incident date

July 10, 2017

Location

تل رفعت كفر ناصح, The area between Tal Rifa’at and Kafr Nasseh, northern Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.4478682, 37.1035767 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported the death of between two and four civilians and injury of as many as dozens more in an alleged Turkish artillery bombardment in area between Tal Rifa’at and Kafr Nasseh, Syria.

According to Rumaf, “four people from one family died and dozens more were injured in the area between Tel Rifaat and Kafr Naaseh due to the violent aggression by the Turkish occupation based in the city of Izzaz and Mara. The shelling has not stopped since yesterday in the middle of the night until now [July 10th].”

A further report by Rumaf included the image of a boy whose leg had been amputated. The source said: “The child (Omar Abdo Sakran) lost his leg as a result of the indiscriminate bombardment byTurkey. At the same time, he lost his father Abdo Sakran and other members of his family were injured. What is very sad is that the child Omar saw his father’s body without his head and didn’t recognise him as his father.”

According to Rok Online, “two civilians were killed and five others wounded on Monday [July 10th] in an artillery bombardment by the Turkish army and the factions of the Euphrates Shield on the Al-Shahba area in the northern countryside of Aleppo. Artillery shelling occurred in Tal Refa’at, Sheikh Issa, Kafr al-Nasab and Harbal in the north of Aleppo. The correspondent added that the injured civilians were taken to the hospital Afrin in the city of Afrin, which coincided with an escalation in shelling of the areas mentioned.”

Sputnik reported that Turkey were using “heavy artillery and rocket-propelled grenades…causing the destruction of a large number of residential buildings and the burning of agricultural crops and land in Tal Refa’at, Shaikh Issa, Harbel, and al shahba dam.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdo Sukran Ibn Omar
Adult male killed
Mohammed Issa Ibn Dibu
Adult male killed
Abu Ghraib Al Sukran
Age unknown male injured
Ahmed Al-Sukran
Age unknown male injured
Son of Abdo al-Sukran
10 years old male injured
Ali Badran
Age unknown male injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–24
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • The child (Omar Abdo Sakran) lost his leg in an alleged Turkish shelling on he area between Tel Rifaat and Kafr Naaseh, July 10th 2017. (via Rumaf)
  • The exact moment an allged Turkish airstrike targeted the area between Tal Rifa’at and Kafr Nasseh, 10th July 2017. (via RuMaf facebook)
  • The exact moment an allged Turkish airstrike targeted the area between Tal Rifa’at and Kafr Nasseh, 10th July 2017. (via RuMaf facebook)
  • The exact moment an allged Turkish airstrike targeted the area between Tal Rifa’at and Kafr Nasseh, 10th July 2017. (via RuMaf facebook)
  • A man injured in an allged Turkish airstrike targeted the area between Tal Rifa’at and Kafr Nasseh, 10th July 2017. (via RuMaf facebook)
  • A man injured in an allged Turkish airstrike targeted the area between Tal Rifa’at and Kafr Nasseh, 10th July 2017. (via RuMaf facebook)
  • Civilians injured in an allged Turkish airstrike targeted the area between Tal Rifa’at and Kafr Nasseh, 10th July 2017. (via RuMaf facebook)
  • A man injured in an allged Turkish airstrike targeted the area between Tal Rifa’at and Kafr Nasseh, 10th July 2017. (via RuMaf facebook)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of The area between Tal Rifa’at and Kafr Nasseh (تل رفعت كفر ناصح), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.4478682, 37.1035767. 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

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–24
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS416 TS024

Incident date

December 16, 2016

Location

الباب, Al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between eleven and 15 civilians were reported killed in a Turkish (or less likely Coalition) action at al Bab.

According to LCCSY eleven civilians died, “most of them killed in Coalition raids on al Bab.”However, the source had consistently denied civilian harm from Turkish actions during the al-Bab campaign.

Al Bab News reported “more than 15 dead most of them women and children and dozens injured as a result of the bombardment on al Bab yesterday. There are families still under the rubble and the rescue operations are underway.”

However ISIS’s media wing reported “intense raids with more than 15 Turkish air raids and 180 shells falling on al Bab in the Aleppo countryside since dawn today.” And the Syrian Observatory reported that “Turkish warplanes bombed areas on the outskirts of al-Bab city which is under the control of the “Islamic State” northeast of Aleppo province, amid clashes in several places in the area between members of the organisation against the factions of Euphrates Shield supported by Turkish forces, which caused casualties.”

The Syrian Network suggested Free Syrian Army (FSA) or Turkish artillery may also have been responsible: “Three civilians from the same family including a child died in Der’ Al Furat forces, supported by Turkish forces, artillery fired shells on Al Bab city in Aleppo governorate eastern suburbs, December 16, 2016.”

In an emailed response to a report submitted by Airwars on this and other incidents in December 2016, Coalition officials said the event was presently assessed as ‘Not credible for Coalition caused civcas.’

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 15
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Turkish Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Khaled Shaban reports more than 150 shells fired and 15 air raids targeting al Bab allegedly by Turkish forces and allied militias since dawn. 16th December 2016. (via Khaled Shaban)
  • Jahra online reports Turkish army declarations that they had destroyed 60 Daesh targets near al Bab amid accusations of killing civilians. 16th December 2016. (via Jahra)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al-Bab (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.51631. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

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
    near Al Bab, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 2017

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For December 15th-17th 2016 the Coalition has publicly reported no strikes in the vicinity.

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

For December 14th to 20th, France reports 10 strikes: 8 in Iraq – 7 of which were in Mosul – and 2 in Syria. They reported that 16 targets were destroyed.

#Chammal : 10 frappes contre Daech en Irak et en Syrie cette semaine, 16 objectifs détruits.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 15
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Turkish Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS497

Incident date

April 1, 2022

Location

القحطانية, “M4” international highway, Al-Qahtaniyah town, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

37.003879, 41.536744 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Street level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One person was killed and two others were injured in alleged Turkish drone strikes on a car traveling on the “M4” international highway near Al-Qahtaniyah town on April 1, 2022. The combatant status of one of the people injured is contested due to his role in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), while the others killed and wounded were identified as members of the SDF.

Hawar News quoted the Syrian Democratic Forces, who “announced that a Turkish occupation drone targeted a car of the Self-Defense Forces, killing one person and injuring two, including the poet Farhad Mardi.” Syria TV reported his condition to be “serious, and he was immediately transferred to a military hospital in the city of Qamishli for treatment.”

The media center of the Syrian Democratic Forces issued a statement: “This afternoon, the occupation launched a drone attack targeting a vehicle belonging to the Self-Defense Forces.  As a result, our comrade Dirar Juma Hamza was martyred and two of our comrades were injured, including the well-known poet Farhad Mardi. The condition of our wounded comrades is good.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) described the location of the incident as occurring on the M4 international highway south of Al-Qahtaniyah town, adding that “the car was heading from Al-Tabqah city to Al-Qahtaniyah area to celebrate Assyrian day”.

SOHR also described the poet Farhad Mardi as someone who was “elected to be a member of “Self-Defence” to be a cheerleader for young men”, putting his combatant status into question. However, Syria TV reported that “Mardi is considered one of the first members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), and he has dozens of songs and poems in support of the party, as well as anti-Turkey and Kurdish parties opposing the PKK”.

According to Syria TV, the vehicle that was hit by the drone strikes was a “a military transport vehicle (van) of the Hyundai H1 type” and that the people in the vehicle were an SDF member, who was killed, and two PKK cadres, who were injured.

All of the sources that reported on the incident blamed Turkish forces and specifically identified a drone as being involved in the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • 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 attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Vehicle destroyed by alleged Turkish drone strikes on a vehicle south of Al-Qahtaniyah town on April 1, 2022. (Image posted by Ajansa Nûçeyan a Firate)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a vehicle struck on the M4 International Highway (الطريق الدولي (M4)) in the vicinity of Al Qahtaniyah (القحطانية) and Tal Barham (تل برهم). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for the highway are: 37.003879, 41.536744.

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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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • 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 attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS522

Incident date

June 29, 2022

Location

حسن عرب, Arab Hassan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.649700, 37.848123 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians, children, were killed in alleged Turkish airstrikes/artillery strikes on Arab Hassan village in northern Manbij countryside on June 29, 2022.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, two civilians were killed when Turkish forces shelled the outskirts of Arab Hassan village in northern Manbij countryside.

Manbij Media Center reported that the two civilians killed were children and that the strikes were carried out at 3:30 in the afternoon and included guided missiles. Manbij Media Center also provided the names of the children killed: Muhammad Abd al-Latif, born in 2009, and the second child was Ahmed Fouad Hajj Hussein, born in 2010, both of whom were cousins ​​from the same village.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the strikes to Turkish forces and Alghad TV mentioned that artillery shells were used in the incident.

The incident occured at 15:30:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Muhammad Abd al-Latif محمد عبد اللطيف
13 years old killed
Ahmed Fouad Hajj Hussein أحمد فؤاد حج حسين
12 years old killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • 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 attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Remnants of an alleged Turkish shell that hit the village of Arab Hassan on June 29, 2022. (Image posted by Manbij Media Center)
  • Remnants of an alleged Turkish shell that hit the village of Arab Hassan on June 29, 2022. (Image posted by Manbij Media Center)
  • Remnants of an alleged Turkish shell that hit the village of Arab Hassan on June 29, 2022. (Image posted by Manbij Media Center)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Arab Hassan (حسن عرب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.649700, 37.848123. 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
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • 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 attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS552

Incident date

August 19, 2022

Location

غرناطه, Gharnata, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.363111, 37.237751 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A 13 year old girl was killed in alleged Turkish shelling of Gharnata village on August 19, 2022.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights specified that the young girl under the age of 18 was injured in Gharnata village and later reported that the girl had died the next day of her injuries. A Facebook post by Lîlav Alî provided her name: Amira Hussein Khalaf, 13 years old.

Hawar News Agency reported that a woman and a child were injured as a result of Turkish forces bombing the villages of the countryside of Al-Shahba canton, including the villages of Karamel, Hassin, Ain Deqina and Baylouniyah, in addition to the center of Tel Rifaat district in al-Shahba canton.

According to Hawar News Agency, both victims of shelling in Al-Shahba (TS551 and TS552) were transferred to Afrin Hospital in the district of Favin for treatment.

.All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the attack to Turkey, with most referring to the bombing as being shelling.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Amira Hussein Khalaf أميرة حسين خلف
13 years old female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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 attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Child injured by alleged Turkish strikes on al-Shahba canton on August 19, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News Agency)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Gharnata (غرناطه), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.363111, 37.237751. 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
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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 attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS588

Incident date

February 22, 2023

Location

بويرة, Bouira, Al Hasaka, Syria

Geolocation

37.019566, 41.407089 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian was reportedly killed on February 22nd 2023 as a result of reported Turkish drone action, hitting a car on the road between Qamishli and Al-Qahtaniya, north east of Al Hasakah, Syria.

كوردستان پوست Kurdistan reported on Facebook that the civilian killed was Khalil Munji. Local sources also reported that a commander of the Internal Security Forces was injured in the same attack.

Other sources, including Al Araby reported that two people were killed, and one of them was involved in the “Taksim bombing” in Istanbul last November. Sources from the Syrian Democratic Forces told Al Araby that Khalil Munji was mentioned in the leaks published about the investigation and that he is a civilian person who trades agricultural products. It is not clear that he is linked to the “SDF” or “Workers’ Party” militias, but they confirmed he worked with a group of smugglers. After the strike, “ambulances also transported the injured from the targeted area to the hospital” but it is unclear how many people were injured.

Al Araby also reported that the car attacked was a jeep that belonged to the Syrian Democratic Forces while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights referred to the vehicle as a “civilian car.”

Sputnik News Agency, a Russian state-run news agency quoted by SABA reported that “at least two militants from the “Qasd” forces loyal to the US army were killed by targeting a Turkish drone.” Al-Khabour Network quoted a private source who stated that two leaders of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), one of whom was leader in the Internal Security Forces, were killed and provided their names as Hussein Al-Khalil and Haval Akram, also accusing them of being involved in the Taksim bombing.

BasNews added that one of the suspects, Ammar Gerkes, confessed to the Turkish government that a person named “Khalil Munji,” residing in the Syrian city of Qamishlo, asked Gerkes to transfer Ahlam al-Bashir, who was responsible for the bombing. However, Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Syrian Observatory said “the civilian who was killed in the strike was known to smuggle people to Turkey. The man had, however, denied accusations by Turkish authorities that he smuggled into Turkey Ahlam Albashir, a Syrian woman who is accused of carrying out the attack.”

According to ANF, the strikes occurred on a road between Qamishlo – Tirbe Spih and was near the village of Bouira, east of the city of Qamishlo.

The majority of sources that reported on the incident attributed the strikes to Turkish forces. The official Anadolu Agency, Turkish state-run news, quoted security sources as saying that the Turkish intelligence managed, through an operation in northern Syria, to neutralize the mastermind behind the planning and implementation of the terrorist bombing on Istiklal Street – admitting that they carried out the strike.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

The victims were named as:

Khalil Munji خليل منجي
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • 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.
  • Known attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Known target
    YPG/SDF
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–2
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–1

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Vehicle hit by alleged Turkish drone strikes east of the city of Qamishl on February 22, 2023. (Image posted by ANF)
  • Hussein Al-Khalil and Haval Akram, killed by Turkish drone strikes on February 22, 2023. (Image posted by Al Khabour News)
  • Vehicle hit by Turkish drone strikes east of the city of Qamishl on February 22, 2023. (Image posted by Arta Radio)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the road between Qamishli (ٱلْقَامِشْلِي) and Al-Qahtaniya (ٱلْقَحْطَانِيَّة) in the vicinity of the village of Bouira (بويرة). Analysing audio-visual material from sources, we have narrowed the location down to the following exact coordinates: 37.019566, 41.407089.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • 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.
  • Known attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Known target
    YPG/SDF
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–2
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–1

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS619

Incident date

July 31, 2023

Location

قرية كالوتة, Kalota village, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

On July 31st, 2023 Turkish forces allegedly shelled several villages in the Sherawa district, injuring a child and an elderly woman in Kalota village. Both were brought to a nearby medical checkpoint. According to the news outlet NPN, at the time of reporting, their condition was unstable.

Local sources Hawar News, ANF, and multiple other sources reported that a woman and a child were injured by Turkish shelling. No other details were available about the civilian victims.

The North Press Agency pointed out that the district of Sherawa houses Kurdish IDPs from the city of Afrin, located nearby, who were displaced by Turkish forces and affiliated forces. All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the shelling to Turkish forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A child and an elderly woman were injured by alleged Turkish shelling of Kalota village on July 31, 2023. (Image posed by Hawar News)

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]