Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

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

Belligerent
Turkish Military
Country
Iraq
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure

Incident Code

TI020

Incident date

December 13, 2018

Location

مخمور, Makhmour refugee camp, Erbil, Iraq

Geolocation

35.761235, 43.604991 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four women were killed in alleged Turkish airstrikes on the Rustam Jodi refugee camp in Makhmour, south of Erbil on December 13th 2018, according to local media reports.

Rustom Joudi, the governor of Rastam Jodi camp, said that the Turkish shelling, which took place at 21:00 on Thursday, killed four women, three of them from one family, and were shelled while they went to their campsites.

The Turkish Army Chief of Staff announced that its warplanes bombed the positions of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Sinjar and Mount Qora Gokh, in the district of Makhmour. The presidency added that “The Turkish army destroyed the shelters, caches, tunnels and warehouses of the Workers Party in an air operation on the organization’s sites in Sinjar and Mount Qara Gokh.”

According to Shaffaq News “Prior to the funeral ceremony, hundreds of people had gone to the UN headquarters to push them to take a serious and concrete stance on Turkish bombing.”

No other details are known at this time.

The incident occured at 21:00:00 local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (4 women)
  • 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]

  • Funeral of the victims of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Makhmour, 22nd December 2018. (via Shafaaq)

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (4 women)
  • 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]

Incident Code

TI019

Incident date

November 14, 2018

Location

عمادية, Amadiyah, Duhok, Iraq

Geolocation

37.092003, 43.486966 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least three civilian men were killed in alleged Turkish airstrikes targeting the Kurdish district of Amadiyah, Dohuk. No sources mentioned the number of wounded.

Several sources identified three victims by name. Ramadan Rikani, a local official of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) added that the victims were “sons of one village, two of them Peshmerga and the other of our party cadres, were in the village raising their livestock.”

The strikes reportedly targeted the Qadash complex of Amadiyah district the night between November 14 and 15.

Families of the three civilians allegedly found their bodies when they went out to work in beekeeping in the morning.

NRT reported that “It is worth mentioning that the Turkish warplanes bombed from time to time sites and areas in the north of Kurdistan region, especially around the area of Bradust and Amadiyah and the foothills of the Qandil mountains, which have targets belonging to the PKK.”

All know sources pointed to Turkey as the culprit.

The incident occured during the night.

  • Ramzan Ahmed Age unknown male killed
  • Delvan Saleh Age unknown male killed
  • Ismail Hassan Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This image was published along with the reporting about the Turkish strikes thar killed three men in Amadiyah, Duhok. The source, however, does not specify whether if these are the victims on the picture. (via Rudaw)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Amadiyah (عمادية), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.092003, 43.486966. 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
    3
  • (3 men)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI018

Incident date

November 3, 2018

Location

دهوك, Duhok, Kurdistan, Iraq

Geolocation

36.865292, 42.991828 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Several sources reported that an alleged Turkish airstrike killed a civilian near the province of Duhok.

A “security source” quoted in reports from Almaalhomah, Iraqhbar and Alahdnews, mentions that “the bombing killed a farmer near the place of the fall of a missile.” He reportedly added that “the body was transferred to the Department of Forensic Medicine,” stressing that “Turkish airstrikes continue from time to time on a number of villages belonging to the province of Duhok.”

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the subdistrict of Duhok (دهوك), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.865292, 42.991828. 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
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI017

Incident date

August 15, 2018

Location

سنجار , Sinjar, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.318611, 41.861111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A former leader (Zaki Shankali) of the PKK in Sinjar reportedly died along with four Yazidi people in alleged Turkish airstrikes on their convoy in Sinjar at 5 p.m on August 15th, according to sources on the ground.

The combat status of the Yazidi people is in question, however, as one source referred to them as fighters. A further source added that the shelling also hit a car, wounding an unspecified number of civilians.

Rudaw reported: “‘The bombardment of the Sinjar district resulted in the death of the commander of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Sinjar and four fighters from the Sinjar resistance units,’ said the former leader of the Sinjar resistance units and the Lalash Brigades, Ali Ali, on Wednesday, 15 August 2018.’

Almaaolomah reported that a source told them that  “the Turkish air force bombed a convoy of troops in villages oin the outskirts of Sinjar district west of Nineveh.
The source added that the the bombing resulted in the death of the leader of Bbakka Mam Zaki and a number of Iraqi Yazidis who were with him”.

Rojnews reported that “the shelling also targeted a car in the area and injured all civilian passengers.”

The incident occured at 17:00:00 local time.

  • Zaki Shinkali Adult male Listed as a former leader of PKK killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

  • Zaki Shinkali, a former leader of the PKK, killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Sinjar, Aug 15th (via Adarpress)
  • The remains of the convoy alleged struck by Turksih jets in Sinjar, Aug 15th (via Rudaw)
  • The remains of the convoy alleged struck by Turksih jets in Sinjar, Aug 15th (via Rudaw)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Sinjar (سنجار ), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.318611, 41.861111. 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
    0 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • 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

TI015

Incident date

April 6, 2018

Location

سدكان , Sedkan, North east of Erbil Province, KRG, Iraq

Geolocation

36.801389, 44.665 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were injured in an alleged Turkish artillery strike on Sedkan, according to local sources.

Basnews reported that “on Friday [April 6th], Turkish artillery continued to bombard the area of ​​Bradust and its villages in Siddakan (northeast of Erbil), injuring two civilians and displacing about 120 others from their villages.

According to information received by Basnoyos, the Turkish army bombed dozens of villages in the region of Bradust and Sidkane district, where the inhabitants of six villages in the area evacuated their homes completely and were displaced to safer areas.”

Almaalomah also reported the injury of two civilians.

Shafaaq added that three members of the Peshermega were killed in a Turkish shelling. It named them as “Tahir Mohammed, Majid Mohammed and Ramadan Mohammed”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • According to the source, Shafaaq, the authorities found the bodies of Tahir Mohammed, Majid Mohammed and Ramadan Mohammed, fighters in the Peshmerga forces who were on official leave to work in beekeeping to help their families. Killed in suspected Turkish strikes on Sedkan, Erbil Province, April 6th (via Shafaaq)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Sedkan ( سدكان ), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.801389, 44.665. 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
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI014

Incident date

March 25, 2018

Location

شيلاديزي, Shiladeza, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.037778, 43.780833 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, one civilian was killed and one or two more were injured in an alleged Turkish airstrike on the Shiladeza area, north of Duhok province in Iraqi Kurdistan.

One local source told Roj News Agency that the raids began in the afternoon, striking the village of Hillah, “in the area between Rikani and Niroh”. The report detailed that the airstrikes had killed one civilian and seriously injured a 35-year-old civilian, who was taken to a hospital.

Ashin Berwari, the head of the Shiladeza district, told Shafaaq that the bombardment had “caused at least two civilian casualties”. He added that the Turkish authorities are continuously shelling the villages in this area.

Ramam Ibrahim posted that the strike had seriously wounded one civilian and added that it had destroyed the farms in the area.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

  • Nihad Mahmood 35 years old male injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The alleged Turkish airstrikes caused one victim and several injured when it targeted Shiladeza area in Dohuk (via Fazel Hawramy twitter)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Shiladeza (شيلاديزي), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.037778, 43.780833. 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
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI012

Incident date

March 22, 2018

Location

Villages in Choman district, Erbil, Iraq

Geolocation

36.637318, 44.890048 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians died and 10 more were injured in alleged Turkish airstrikes on villages in the Choman area of Iraqi Kurdistan, local sources reported. According to IC Afrin Resistance, the “Turkish army’s attacks and #TurkishWarCrimes are spreading: Yesterday night at 1:05 am Turkish air-forces bombarded villages in the district Qesre of Erbil (South #Kurdistan / Iraq). 4 civilians were killed due to the air-strikes.”

Hana Comani put the death toll at four with 10 more wounded. While most sources state that all four who died in the strike were civilians, a report by PDK-S detailed that the young men who perished were “Three Peshmerga and one lawyer”.

ANA reported: “Turkish military aircraft launched at 01:00 in the middle of last night raids on the villages of “Wassan, Sargan, and Mawa” near the town of Qusra in the district of Juman in the province of Holler. According to information received from the area, four civilians were killed during a ceremony in Nowruz.”

Additionally, a report by TRT said that “nine terrorists who were ready to attack a military base were eliminated in the ongoing airstrikes against PKK terrorist camps in northern Iraq.” It is unclear whether this is the same raid though the date and location match.

On April 27, 2020, the Christian Peacemaker Teams Iraqi Kurdistan (CPTIK) published an article interviewing the family members of four victims who were killed in the alleged Turkish strikes on the village of Sarkan. The victims were identified as Bezhan Mustafa, Mohammad Ismail, Darbaz Mohammad and Sherko Mahmud, all aged between 20 and 30 years old. According to CPTIK, two of the victims were cousins. Two of them graduated from law college and the other two were Peshmerga.

The men went to their summer house, where they, according to neighbours, “made a fire, grilled meat on the hot coals, and sang joyous songs”. The strike on Sarkan reportedly occured around 1:15 AM. A village elder told CPTIK: “When I arrived, I saw pieces of their burned bodies spread around, mixed with shreds of blankets and fragments of the house. I could not even recognize the bodies. I then collected the remnants and put them in the back of the pickup truck.”

Bezhan’s father told CPTIK that the men “were in no way connected to the PKK”.

The incident occured at 01:15:00 local time.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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
    2

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • A victim of Turkish airstrikes on villages in Choman area, east of Irbil, 22nd March 2018. (via Haval sedo)
  • A victim of Turkish airstrikes on villages in Choman area, east of Irbil, 22nd March 2018. (via Haval sedo)
  • A victim of Turkish airstrikes on villages in Choman area, east of Irbil, 22nd March 2018. (via PDK)
  • A victim of Turkish airstrikes on villages in Choman area, east of Irbil, 22nd March 2018. (via PDK)
  • A victim of Turkish airstrikes on villages in Choman area, east of Irbil, 22nd March 2018. (via PDK)
  • A victim of Turkish airstrikes on villages in Choman area, east of Irbil, 22nd March 2018. (via PDK)
  • Victims of the Turkish airstrikes on villages in Choman area, east of Irbil, 22nd March 2018. (via Kamal Chomani)
  • Victims of the Turkish airstrikes on villages in Choman area, east of Irbil, 22nd March 2018. (via Kamal Chomani)
  • Victims of the Turkish airstrikes on villages in Choman area, east of Irbil, 22nd March 2018. (via Turkey Untold)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Villages in Choman district, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.637318, 44.890048. 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 type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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
    2

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI011

Incident date

November 13, 2017

Location

سيدكان, Barmiza village, Sidkan, Erbil, Iraq

Geolocation

36.801389, 44.665 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was killed in alleged Turkish airstrikes on Barmiza village, Sidkan area, on November 13th, 2017, according to local sources.

A local Kurdish outlet, Yaqein Agency, reported the day of the incident that one civilian was killed by alleged Turkish airstrikes on Sidkan, north of Erbil.

In January 2019, Christian Peacemaker Teams Iraqi Kurdistan published an article on the victim of the airstrike, Himda’at Othman Darwish. CPTIK reported that Othman was “in his early twenties, the oldest son of Othman Darwish and Jawhar Abdullah and with a wife and infant son of his own” and that “he worked hard to support his family by trading between the two parts of Kurdistan.”

His relatives told CPTIK that Othman returning home to his family’s village of Barmiza, a forty minutes drive from the Turkish border, adding that the road he used was used regularly by villages to access their farm lands. His father stated that at the time of the airstrikes, there were other cars on the road and that it is unclear why his son’s car was targeted in the “daylight afternoon hours” of November 13th.

 

The incident occured in the afternoon.

  • Himda’at Othman Adult male oldest son of Othman Darwish and Jawhar Abdullah killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Himda'at Othman Darwish, victim of alleged Turkish airstrikes on his car near Barzima village on November 13th, 2017, pictured with this son (via CPTIK).
  • The car of victim Himda'at Othman Darwish after alleged Turkish airstrikes near Barzima village on November 13th, 2017 (via CPTIK).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Barmiza village, Sidkan (سيدكان), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.801389, 44.665. 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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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

Sources (2) [ collapse]