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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Incident Code

TI043

Incident date

July 29, 2020

Location

جبل شاكيو, Mount Shekif, Erbil, Iraq

Geolocation

37.00387, 44.74339 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians were injured in alleged Turkish artillery strikes on Mount Shekif, Lolan area in Erbil governorate, on July 29th, 2020, according to local sources. One woman was reportedly severely wounded.

ANF English wrote that “on Wednesday, morning the Turkish army fired shells at a group of people who went to Mount Shekif to collect herbs from the area of Deşta Hertê. Zozan Qadir, a civilian from the region, was seriously injured in the bombing. Four other people suffered minor injuries. The bombing was carried out from a hill in Xakurke region.” The incident reportedly occurred around 7:30 AM, targeting a group villagers from Pirekan.

@dersi4m also tweeted that the Turkish army fired shells at villagers, leading to one woman being severely wounded and four others slightly.

ANF further reported that “the people from the region reacted with anger and shock to the Turkish attacks and the South Kurdistan’s ruling party KDP, which provides support to Turkey.”

The incident occured at approximately 7:30 am local time.

The victims were named as:

Zozan Qadir
Adult female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of alleged Turkish artillery shells on Mount Shakif, Erbil governorate, on July 29th, 2020 (via ANF English).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the area of Mount Shekif (جبل شاكيو), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.00387, 44.74339. 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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI072

Incident date

September 24, 2021

Location

هرور, Hiror, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.229298, 43.438993 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian man was injured in alleged Turkish artillery strikes on Hirur on September 24, 2021.

According to @kamaran_Mulla, a civilian named Thabt Hussen was severely injured when alleged Turkish shelling landed on his land while we was harvesting pomegranates. At the time of reporting, Thabt was in critical condition and being treated at Zakho hospital. Shafaq News Agency put the man’s age at 45 while Rudaw News reported that Thabt was 55 years old.

The Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) said in a statement that the strikes that wounded the civilian occurred at 10:30am.

The Kani Masi mayor Sarbast Sabri told Rudaw News that Turkish forces targeted Hiror  village from positions in Kani Masi.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the strikes to Turkey and the majority of sources identified artillery shelling as being used by Turkish forces.

The incident occured at 10:30:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Thabt Hussen
55 years old male injured

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
    Turkish Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Image of civilian Thabt Hussen being treated following strikes on his land in Hiror on September 24, 2021. (Image posted by @kamaran_Mulla)
  • Smoke billowing from airstrikes on Hiror Village on September 24, 2021. (Image posted by Basrawi News Encyclopedia)
  • Thabt Hussen, a farmer from Hirur village, was injured from alleged Turkish shelling on September 24, 2021. (Image posted by Roj News)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hiror (هرور), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.229298, 43.438993. 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
    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
    Turkish Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI022a

Incident date

June 5, 2019

Location

Xakurkê, Erbil, Iraq

Geolocation

37.036667, 44.651389 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians were reportedly injured in Turkish airstrike on Xakurkê in the Qandil mountains.

ANF reported: “The villagers, who rushed out to extinguish the fire at 6 am this morning were targeted by Turkish warplanes.

Four villagers were wounded in the attack, one of them seriously. Two of the villagers were named locally as Jabir and Xoshevi.

Local sources informed ANF that the wounded are from the village of Merga Reşê in Şeyh Zade valley and are being treated at Soran hospital.”

According to ANHA, “The villagers rushed to rescue their plants, but the warplane targeted them on Wednesday morning [June 5th], and that resulted in wounding four villagers, and the condition of one of them is critical.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Jabir
Adult male injured
Xoshevi
Adult male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an alleged Turkish strike on .Xakurkê, Qandil mountains, June 5th 2019 (via ANHA)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the subdistrict of Xakurkê, for which the generic coordinates are: 37.036667, 44.651389. 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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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]

Incident Code

TI055

Incident date

February 2, 2021

Location

شێنێ, Shene, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

Geolocation

37.092003, 43.486966 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (other) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A woman was injured in alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Shene in Halsho sub-district, Sulaymaniyah governorate, on February 2nd, 2021, according to local sources.

NRT English reported that “a 40-year-old civilian woman was wounded when Turkish warplanes bombed the outskirts of the village of Shene in the Raparin administration’s Halsho sub-district late on Tuesday morning (February 2).” The victim was brought to a hospital in Qaladze for treatment. Kurdistan24, however, reported that the victim was a 25-year-old woman from the village.

According to reporter Sabr Adulla, Turkish warplanes targeted the vicinity of the village five times, including targets approximately 400 meters from the village’s center. Locals told NRT that their houses had been damaged in the strikes. According to Roj News, the village was hit seven times.

@EnglishZhyan posted a video of the strikes with the caption: “Video shows moment a Turkish airstrike hits areas nearby civilian houses in the Kurdish village of Shene in Qaladze’s Pshdar area, causing damage to the houses.”

Mayor of the Halsho sub-district Bakir Waysi told Kurdistan24: “The airstrikes targeted the village and its peripheries.” At the time, the civilian casualties and material damages were unknown because authorities were unable to access the village yet.

All sources blamed Turkey for the strikes.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Screenshot of a video posted by Kurdistan24 of alleged Turkish airstrikes on Shene, Sulaymaniyah governorate, on February 2nd, 2021 (via @obretix).
  • Photo of alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Shene, Sulaymaniyah governorate, on February 2nd, 2021 (via NRT).
  • Photo of alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Shene, Sulaymaniyah governorate, on February 2nd, 2021 (via Kurdistan24).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Shene (شێنێ) being struck. According to research conducted by @obretix, the exact coordinates for this strike are: 37.092003, 43.486966. Cross referencing source material, we can confirm the accuracy of this location.

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI081

Incident date

June 15, 2022

Location

سنونو, Sunin, Sinjar, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

36.468563, 41.710257 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one to five civilians were reportedly killed, and three to ten were injured in Sunin, Sinjar, Iraq, as a result of an attack by a Turkish drone on June 15th 2022.  Up to six militants were also reported killed in this attack.

One child, Salah Shifan Khader Nassou, aged 11 or 12, was reported as killed in this attack. Kurdistan 24 reported that he was killed by the strike while in his father’s shop nearby.  A few local sources reported that another of the deceased was the father or grandfather of Salah, Khader Nassau.

On the 24th of June, Kurdistan24 reported that Ibrahim Avdi Darwish, 45, had died as a result of wounds he had sustained during the strike in Sinjar on the 15th of June. Mr. Darwish worked for a local non-governmental organization, according to his family. He had six children.

Rudaw reported that “a health official from Sinun’s hospital told [the reporter] that the attack killed at least one person and injured 10 others, all civilians,” but that “Firat News Agency (ANF) affiliated with the PKK raised the toll of deaths to two, noting that there are no official numbers of those injured.”

Bas News reported that the Iraqi Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the drone strike and said that four civilians were killed in this attack, while Kurdistan 24 put the overall death count at six but did not specify if they were civilians or belligerents.

It also reports that one of the injured was a reporter for Çira TV, named Saleh Barjas, and another child.

Roj News reported that the Turkish attack also resulted in material damage to the Sunin Council building, which was also reported as PKK headquarters in other sources.  Kurdistan 24 reported that “Turkish airstikes targeted a Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) headquarters in Sinjar’s Sinin subdistrict, the Kurdistan Region Security Council’s (KRSC) Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD) confirmed on Wednesday.”

Bas News and other local sources reported that this was an airstrike against the YBS Forces, a group affiliated with the PKK, and that several of its militants were killed or injured, according to Kurdistan Region’s Counter-Terrorism Unit. These reports differed however, and Qasim Shasho, a Peshmega commander told Bas News that the airstrike actually targeted the PKK-linked Ezidkhan Security Forces, because a meeting with the groups’ leaders was taking place.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Salah Shifan Khader Nassou
11 or 12 years old male killed
Khader Nassou
male reported as Father or Grandfather of Salah

The victims were named as:

Ibrahim Avdi Darwish
45 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (1 child1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–10
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF
  • Belligerents reported killed
    6

Sources (29) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (11) [ collapse]

  • Salah Shifan Khader Nassou, reportedly killed by a Turkish drone in Sunin, Sinjar on June 15th 2022 (Image via شنكال سنجار مدينتي / Facebook)
  • Ibrahim Avdi Darwish succumbed to the injuries he sustained from the June 15 drone attack in Sinjar's Snuny (Photo: Submitted to Kurdistan 24)
  • Salah Nassou, reported to be killed by a Turkish drone was 11 or 12 years old (Image via Shinkal my city / Facebook)
  • The aftermath of a Turkish drone strike which killed one child, aged 11 or 12 on June 15th 2022 in Sinjar (Image via Shinkal my city / Facebook)
  • Kurdistan 24 reports from Sinjar at the aftermath of the reported Turkish drone strike on June 15th 2022 (Image via Kurdistan 24)
  • Aftermath of Turkish drone strike reported to have hit Sunin in Sinjar, on June 15th 2022 (Image via Bas News)
  • A reported Turkish drone hit Sinjar on June 15th 2022 (Image via Darkamaz)
  • @sebusher tweeted a photo of Salah Nassau, reportedly killed by a Turkish drone on June 15th 2022 (Image via Twitter)
  • @ahad_en reports from the alleged Turkish bombing on June 15th 2022 (Image via Twitter)
    A message from Salah's father, who was killed on June 15th 2022. Other reports indicated that Salah's father or grandfather was also killed in the strike (Image via @murad_ismael / Twitter)
  • @ahad_en reports from the alleged Turkish bombing on June 15th 2022 (Image via Twitter)
    A message from Salah's father, who was killed on June 15th 2022. Other reports indicated that Salah's father or grandfather was also killed in the strike (Image via @murad_ismael / Twitter)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a strike on a stationery shop in the town of Sunin (سنونو). Analyzing audio-visual material from sources, Airwars has narrowed down the location to these exact coordinates: 36.468563, 41.710257.

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 – 5
  • (1 child1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–10
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF
  • Belligerents reported killed
    6

Sources (29) [ 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.

The victims were named as:

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

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

TI023

Incident date

June 26, 2019

Location

زين خليل, Zain Khalil, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

36.737683, 44.388548 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was killed and as many as three others wounded in an alleged Turkish airstrike in the Bradost region of Iraqi Kurdistan on June 26th, 2019 according to local media reports.

25-year-old Mansour Nafie lost his life in the attack, while his brother Bashiu Nafie was injured according to Rudaw. ANF reported that as many as three people were injured.

“At 6pm a Turkish jet was initially spotted overhead in the village of Zini Khalil in Bradost and it started densely bombing at 7pm,” Ahmed Khalil, the village chieftain, told Rudaw.

The two brothers were travelling in a vehicle when they were caught in the airstrike, Khalil said. Mansour Nafih, 25, was killed, and Pashew Nafih, 20, was wounded.

Adnan Ghafour, the physician on duty at the Ashti Hospital in Bradost said Nafih had sustained “serious injures”.

“After treating him with emergency first aid, we refereed him to West Erbil Emergency Hospital,” Ghafour told Rudaw English.

The Turkish defense ministry confirmed late on Wednesday that its warplanes had targeted Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) positions in Zap and Khakurk, “neutralizing two terrorists”.

ANF said the strike took place in the Goshine area of Bradost.

The incident occured at 19:00:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Mansour Nafie 25
Adult male Brother os Bashiu killed
Bashiu Nafie 20
Adult male Brother of Mansour injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • 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.

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Mansour Nafie (via Rudaw)

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • 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.

Sources (4) [ collapse]