Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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Incident Code

CS1982

Incident date

July 4, 2022

Location

الزر, Al Zer, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.124387, 40.432541 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two children under the age of 18 were killed during a joint Coalition and Syrian Democratic Forces airdrop operation in the village of Al Zer on July 4th, 2022. Sources were conflicted as to whether the two killed were civilians or members of ISIS.

Al Khabour posted on Facebook that a young man named “Muhammad Fateh Khalaf Al-Daham” and another person were killed during an airdrop operation carried out by the Coalition in the village of Al Zer. Euphrates Post added that the other person killed was an IDP and @19had93eel identified the two people killed as civilians.

According to @syria_news123, a “citizen” was killed and another was wounded by the SDF during an operation with the support of the “American occupation forces,” with @19had93eel specifying that Coalition helicopters participated and that the occupation was carried out at dawn.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) stated that the two men that were killed were accused of working for ISIS and were killed when they resisted arrest. Activists specified to SOHR that one of the men killed was detained for about four months by the SDF and had been released in April, while the other man was accompanied by his mother and was working to distribute financial guarantees to the women of ISIS in the area.

Private sources told Euphrates Post that the operation was carried out at a house near the “Al-Munkar” neighborhood that was inhabited by a displaced family from Aleppo and resulted in the death of a 14 year old member of ISIS named Omar who was from Aleppo whose father was a former member of ISIS and was detained by the SDF, while the other child killed, Muhammad Fateh Khalaf Al-Daham, was a 17 year old who had been released from SDF prison two months ago. The sources added that  the two people killed had been holding a lunch feast and that Coalition drones had been flying in the area at the time.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that the two people were shot and killed when SDF personnel raided a house while Orient News referred to the operation as involving “light bombs”.

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • (0–2 children)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Suspected target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–2

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Zer (الزر), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.124387, 40.432541. Due to limited satellite imagery and 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
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Syrian Democratic Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • (0–2 children)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Suspected target
    ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–2

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS138

Incident date

June 27, 2022

Location

البلدق, Al Baldak, Jarablus, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.668925, 37.896056 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians, one girl and her mother were injured at dawn on June 27th 2022 by a reported missile shelling attributed to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) / PKK/PYD or the Syrian regime in the town of Baldaq in the countryside of Al-Dhahirah area in Jarablus, in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, Syria.

The Syrian Civil Defence reported that the mother was injured critically.

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or 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
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    YPG, Syrian Regime

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Two civilians, a mother and daughter, were injured after an alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile hit Baldaw on June 27th 2022 (Image via SCD / Facebook)
  • Two civilians, a mother and daughter, were injured after an alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile hit Baldaw on June 27th 2022 (Image via SCD / Facebook)
  • Two civilians, a mother and daughter, were injured after an alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile hit Baldaw on June 27th 2022 (Image via SCD / Facebook)
  • Two civilians, a mother and daughter, were injured after an alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile hit Baldaw on June 27th 2022 (Image via SCD / Facebook)
  • Two civilians, a mother and daughter, were injured after an alleged SDF or Syrian regime missile hit Baldaw on June 27th 2022 (Image via SCD / Facebook)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Baldak (البلدق), for which the generic coordinates are:36.668925, 37.896056. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

YPG Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or 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
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    YPG, Syrian Regime

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS136

Incident date

June 18, 2022

Location

حزوان, Hazwan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.409167, 37.405000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Civilians were injured in alleged Syrian Democratic Forces strikes on the village of Hazwan on June 18, 2022.

According to Shaam News, Syrian Democratic Forces launched a guided missile that struck the home of a civilian in the village of Hazwan, resulting in “the fall of a number of wounded”.

Both @ZaitunAgency and @hamza_hindawie tweeted that “injuries” resulted from the missile attack by the SDF but did not specify how many.

All three sources that reported on the incident attributed the strikes to the Syrian Democratic Forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or 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
    YPG

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hazwan (حزوان), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.409167, 37.405000. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

YPG Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or 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
    YPG

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS137

Incident date

June 18, 2022

Location

عبلة, Abla, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.4336, 37.3556 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to two civilians were killed and between five and six civilians, including up to four children and a woman, were injured in alleged Syrian Democratic Forces strikes on Abla village on June 18, 2022.

According to @EuphratsPostNews, five people from one family, including three children, were injured when a guided missile struck Abla village. However, @TvIdlib reported that six people from one family, including four children and one woman, were injured in the missile strikes, and that the strikes his the home of the family.

@thawra_sy4 added that in addition to the civilians wounded, one civilian was also killed while @ZaitunAgency identified two civilians as being killed in addition to the “several” others wounded.

The majority of sources attributed the incident to the SDF, while @EuphratsPostNews pointed out that it was “unknown” what the source of the guided missiles was. Various sources referred to both guided missiles and artillery shelling as being used in the attack on Abla. @TvIdlib reported that the attack coincided with an attack by the “Syrian Front” with tanks and heavy weapons on the headquarters of “Ahrar al-Sham” in AL Bab countryside.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–6
  • 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 attacker
    YPG

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of one of the children injured in alleged SDF strikes on the village of Abla on June 18, 2022. (Image posted by @YaqinNwes)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Abla (عبلة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.4336, 37.3556. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

YPG Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–6
  • 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 attacker
    YPG

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS134

Incident date

June 1, 2022

Location

تل أبيض, Tal Abyad, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.689111, 38.946356 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and four civilians were killed and up to 12 others were injured in alleged Syrian Democratic Forces airstrikes/drone strikes/shelling of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022.

@DeirEzzorNow tweeted the names of the victims: two brothers “Wassim and Bashar Al-Barhou“, Hajj “Abdi Al-Hamran”, Khaled Al-Halisi 34 years old, adding that in addition “several” were wounded. A Facebook post from Hajin Today 2021 referred to Abdi Al-Hamran as being elderly and Athr Press identified two of those killed as being under the age of 18.

Al Khabour posted on Facebook that three people were killed by “PYD/PKK missile strikes” and 10 others were injured, some of them seriously. @ShahbaPress reported that “two civilians were killed and four wounded”, while @AlArabiya_Brk also put the number of killed at two but differed on the number of wounded, reporting that six civilians were wounded. A higher injury number was provided by @alamlmediatv, putting the injury toll at 12.

Halab Today added that among the injured, “our people were transferred to Turkish hospitals due to the difficulty of treating them in local hospitals” and that the death toll was expected to rise from three deaths that they identified. Athr Press reported that among the injured, two of them had their lower limbs (legs) amputated.

According to Rudaw News, quoting the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, one of the four people killed was a “fighter from the armed opposition” while the other three killed were civilians. The Syrian Observatory Observatory for Human Rights and the sources that quoted it where the only ones that identified any of those killed as being militants.

A tweet from @DeirEzzorNow reported that the bombing focused on the hospital surroundings and around the local council in Tal Abyad, and Rudaw News provided the name of the hospital to be Al-Hikma Hospital area. Al Khabour identified “Al-Mashfa Street and the Mall Street in the center of the city” as being struck in the bombing. @ShahbaPress described the area hit as being a popular market while Orient News referred to the bombed area as residential neighborhoods, specifically “Al-Layl neighborhood”.

The majority of sources that reported on the incident attributed the strikes to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)/Democratic Union Party (PYK). Al Khabour News added that rocket launchers were used in the attack, specifically five rocket-propelled grenades, while Orient News reported that  the militia (Farhad al-Shami) said that the bombing came via a drone. According to Halab Today, the SDF denied responsibility for the bombing, stating that the bombing had been carried out by an “unidentified drone”.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

The victims were named as:

Khaled Al-Halisi خالد الحليسي
34 years old male killed
Hajj "Abdi Al-Hamran" الحاج "عبدي الحمران"
Age unknown male killed
Wassim Al-Barhou وسيم البرهو
Age unknown male killed
Bashar Al-Barhou بشار البرهو
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Airstrike and/or Artillery, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1–2 children1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–12
  • 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
    YPG
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (44) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (22) [ collapse]

  • One of the victims of the alleged SDF bombing of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by @DeirEzzorNow)
  • One of the victims of the alleged SDF bombing of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by @DeirEzzorNow)
  • Damage caused by the alleged SDF bombing of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by @DeirEzzorNow)
  • Khaled Al-Halisi, 34 years old, killed in alleged SDF bombing of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by in Tal Abyad via Facebook)
  • Tal Abyad/ Gary Spi Dead and wounded as a result of unknown bombardment on the city of Tal Abyad. According to medical sources, 3 deaths and 6 injuries were reported as a preliminary outcome. Known from the two dead brothers, "Wassim Al-Barhou and Bashar Al-Barhou" and Khaled Jassim Al-Halisi.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of one of the victims killed in alleged SDF bombing of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by in Cudi Rojava via Facebook)
  • Damage caused by the alleged SDF bombing of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by @syr_television)
  • Alleged SDF bombing of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by Rudaw News)
  • One of the victims of the alleged SDF bombing of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by @HASAKHNNEWS via Facebook)
  • Our people in Tal Abyad, may God bestow your condolences May God have mercy on the dead and heal the wounded
  • One of the missiles that struck the city of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by @77Mikiy)
  • One of the missiles that struck the city of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by @77Mikiy)
  • One of the missiles that struck the city of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by @77Mikiy)
  • Funeral for the two brothers, Wassim and Bashar Al-Barhou, killed in the alleged SDF bombing of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by @wexP2S7t8yGMwRf)
  • Funeral for the two brothers, Wassim and Bashar Al-Barhou, killed in the alleged SDF bombing of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by @wexP2S7t8yGMwRf)
  • Funeral for the two brothers, Wassim and Bashar Al-Barhou, killed in the alleged SDF bombing of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by @wexP2S7t8yGMwRf)
  • Funeral for the two brothers, Wassim and Bashar Al-Barhou, killed in the alleged SDF bombing of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by @wexP2S7t8yGMwRf)
  • Victims of the alleged SDF bombing of Tal Abyad on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by @SN4HR)

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the strike in Tal Abyad (تل أبيض). Analysing audio-visual material from sources we have narrowed down the location to these exact coordinates: 36.689111, 38.946356.

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  • Tagged audio-visual material from sources. Imagery Deir Ezzore Now

  • Tagged audio-visual material from sources. Imagery Deir Ezzore Now

YPG Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Airstrike and/or Artillery, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1–2 children1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–12
  • 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
    YPG
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (44) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS135

Incident date

June 1, 2022

Location

الحلونجي, Al Huwlanji, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.651944, 37.909722 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and three civilians, including a child, were injured in alleged Syrian Democratic Forces’ shelling and heavy machine gun fire on the Al-Muhsinli-Halunji road on June 1, 2022.

According to the Syrian Civil Defense, a child was injured when the Syrian Civil Defense struck a car “with heavy machine guns on the Al-Muhsinli-Halunji road”.

Macro Media Center reported that there were “injuries”, including children, as a result of the strike by guided missiles. Daily Sabah put the number of injured civilians at three and added that the injured were treated at Jarablus Hospital. A tweet from @15s9GDV identified the car as being a “a civilian car from Aoun (Sentafy)” and that the family was coming from the city of al-Bab.

Baladi News correspondent in Aleppo countryside reported that “at about 12:20 p.m., today, Wednesday, SDF targeted a black civilian car of the “Sentafi” type, with an M.D. guided missile, which resulted in the injury of the driver and members of his family, most of whom are children.”

All of the sources that the Syrian Democratic Forces/People’s Defense Units carried out the attack. Daily Sabah identified a thermal shell as being launched while other sources referred to heavy machine guns as being used.

The incident occured at 12:20:00 local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (27) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • A child was injured in alleged SDF strikes on Al Huwlanji on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • Strikes on the village of Al-Halwanji on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by @citynews27_com)
  • Rescue workers put out a fire caused by alleged SDF strikes on the village of al-Halunji on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by DCRN News)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the road from Al-Muhsinli (المحسنلي) to Al Huwlanji (الحلوانجي), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.651944, 37.909722. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

YPG Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    YPG
  • YPG 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
    1–3
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (27) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS133

Incident date

Location

الحولنجي جنوب جرابلس, Al Huwlanji south of Jarablus, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.651944, 37.909722 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One child, Abdul Razzaq Muhammad, aged 9, was injured on May 29th 2022 when the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were reported to target a civilian car with a guided missile, in the Al-Halwanji area, south of the city of Jarabulus, Syria, according to local sources.

Abdul Rassaq Muhammad was taken to hospital in Jarabulus.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (1)

Abdul Rassaq Muhammad
9 years old male

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • 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 attacker
    YPG

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • One child was injured when a reported Syrian Democratic Forces missile hit a civilian car on May 29th 2022 near Jarabulus, Syria (Image via Syran Civil Defense / Facebook)
  • One child was injured when a reported Syrian Democratic Forces missile hit a civilian car on May 29th 2022 near Jarabulus, Syria (Image via @free_sy-news / Twitter)
  • One child was injured when a reported Syrian Democratic Forces missile hit a civilian car on May 29th 2022 near Jarabulus, Syria (Image via @Sharqya_reporte / Twitter)
  • A car was targeted reportedly by SDF outside of Jarabulus on May 29th 2022, injuring one child (Image via @77Mikiy / Twitter)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the outskirts of the village of Al Huwlanji (الحلوانجي), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.651944, 37.909722. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

YPG Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    YPG
  • YPG 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
    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
    YPG

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI080 YI003

Incident date

May 26, 2022

Location

زيوا, Ziwa , Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.198798, 43.189773 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two children were killed and up to two others, including a child, were injured in alleged Turkish or Kurdish strikes on Ziwa village on May 26, 2022.

Birqi Omar, mukhtar (chieftain) of Ziwa village in Amedi town, told Rudaw’s Hunar Rashid that people from nearby areas were picnicking when bombs struck. “As far as we know, the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) on Metina mountain targeted Turkish military base with three bombs. Then, Turkey bombed our families, killing two people, aged 10, and injuring another,” said the mukhtar. A witness, whose hand was stained with the blood of one of the dead children, told Rudaw that they had left all their picnic goods in the incident area.

According to BasNews, “at least two children were killed and two other civilians were injured” by two rockets. Kurdistan24 identified the two wounded civilians as being adult males and Hawar News added that the two children were aged 6 and 7. Yekiti Media provided the names of the victims, Youssef Kaufan, 14, and Afand Hashiyari, 10.

BasNews added that the victims were reportedly collecting spring plants while another source said they were attending an outdoor wedding celebration. A source told Shafaq News Agency that there was “a big celebration when the bombing occurred, which led to the death of three victims and the injury of several others as a result.” He added that “the wounded were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, while the bodies were evacuated to the forensic medicine department.”

A photo uploaded by Agency France Press identified one of the injured children as nine-year-old, Sipan Farhad. He was reported to be receiving treatment at a hospital in Dohuk following the incident. Sipan told Rudaw he was playing football with his friends when the strike happened, “I went upstairs while Yousif and Avand went to bring the ball back off the street and when I came down, a bomb hit the ground”, “Yousif told me to bring water because there was a dirty glass and we wanted to clean it,” he added.

Kovan Haji, Yousif’s father, told Rudaw that in the days before his son’s death he had promised him a present for completing the school year. “I wanted to grant my son a big prize. He was not only my son, but he was my friend, and he was always with me even when things were not going well.” The families told Rudaw the missiles came from Metina mountain, only meters away from them.

Witnesses told Shafaq News Agency, “The people of (Ziwa) village were celebrating near (Ardana) village of Bamerni district in Amadiyah district, north of Dohuk, when two artillery shells fell near the celebrants, killing three children between the ages of 10 and 11 years. Another 8-year-old child was wounded and is now lying in an emergency hospital in Dohuk. The father of the injured child explained to Shafaq News, that his son was wounded by shrapnel from the bombing in his arm and chest, but his health condition is stable now.

Rudaw News quoted various sources that blamed different sources for the strikes, with Kurdistan Region’s Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD) and Warshin Salman, mayor of Amedi, attributing the strikes to the PKK while PKK-affiliated Rojnews reported that Turkey carried out the bombing. A Facebook post from Abo Mostafa AlJoboore quoted a father of one of the victims, who confirmed that it was the Turkish that carried out the bombing, not the PKK.

The Media Center of the People’s Protection Forces (HPJ), the military wing of the anti-Ankara Kurdistan Workers’ Party, released a statement denying that they carried out the bombing: “The State of Turkey attacked our citizens in South Kurdistan (Kurdistan Region) when they were on a picnic, which resulted in the death of three martyrs, including two children.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Youssef Kaufan يوسف كوفان
14 years old killed
Afand Hashiyari أفند هشياري
10 years old killed
Sipan Farhad
9 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, YPG
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF

Sources (24) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • Children victims of the strikes on Zewa village on May 26, 2022. (Image posted by Rudaw News)
  • A relative checks on Sipan Farhad, a 9-year-old boy wounded following a rocket attack in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of Iraq, at a hospital in the northern Iraqi city of Dohuk, May 26, 2022. (Image courtesy of AFP)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention an undisclosed area of Metin mountain (جبل متین), in the vicinity of Ziwa (زيوا) village. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Ziwa are: 37.00874, 43.45609.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

YPG Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, YPG
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF

Sources (24) [ collapse]