Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

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

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

Incident Code

TS118

Incident date

January 24, 2018

Location

راحو, Rajo village, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.67296, 36.666364 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One or two civilians died and several more were injured in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Rajo village, according to local media.

The Smart News Network reported that “a woman was wounded by a Turkish air strike on the town of Raju in the Afrin area of Aleppo, north of the country, receiving treatment in a hospital in the area on 24 January 2018. One person was killed and two were injured.”

According to Hawar, one person died and two more were wounded from the same family. They also published many images showing damage to residential homes.

Albawabh reported the death of one person and the wounding of two women, while Ciyaye put the death toll at two.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Welat Muhammad Bero
48 years old named as wounded by The Kurdish Red Crescent injured

Summary

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

Media
from sources (21) [ collapse]

  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • Damage to civilian homes as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian casualty as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Hawar)
  • A wounded woman as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes in Rajo village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Smart)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Rajo village, Afrin (راحو), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.67296, 36.666364. 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 – 2
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS119

Incident date

January 24, 2018

Location

حمام, Hamam village, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.369167, 36.609444 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On January 25th, Free Afrin – which published a picture of the victim – reported “the martyrdom of the citizen Hussein Hasek after yesterday’s injury as a result of shelling and firing by the Turkish occupation army on the village of Hamam in the countryside of Afrin”.

However according to Rumaf “Hussein Hasek of Hamam died after trying to flee the house where he was detained with 13 civilians by the Turkish forces.”

On January 298th, Rumaf published testimony by a man who talked about his “abduction by Turkish mercenaries as they entered the village of Hammam, and how he managed to survive”:

“I am Shukri Gindi from al Hamam… the FSA came in the morning they were firing in the middle of the village from the evening till the morning going through the whole village. They opened all the doors and gathered everyone they could find. They put us in the mosque and they took away 6 detainees. I was one of the six they put us in a house. In the morning they said they’d come and see us at 1 pm. 1 o’clock came, 2 o’clock and until the evening no one came. We woke up in the morning and no one was there, there was no military personnel anywhere. Every one of us then left and went to our homes and look after our children, our goats. I was told lets go in the pick up there’s no one so we went in the pick up and we got hit with a shell from a tank. One person was killed and I was injured and another person was injured. In  the village and moved from house to house. I couldn’t move because of the injury in my leg .. we were under the shelling. Every day we would move 200 meters or 500 meters depending on the circumstances…”

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hussein Hasek
Age unknown male died as a result of his wounds killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Hussein Hasek, killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Hamam village, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Qamishlo)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hamam village, Afrin (حمام), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.369167, 36.609444. 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
    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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS120

Incident date

January 24, 2018

Location

مالكية, Malikya village, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.542778, 36.991944 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Smart News reported that according to a military source, four civilians were injured after “Turkish shelling on the village of Malikya in Aleppo which is under the control of the Kurdish units.”

Artafm News later added that “On Thursday, four artillery shells from the Turkish side landed on the outskirts of the village of Kharab Rashk in the eastern ِAl Malikiye suburb of Derek. Local sources from the village told Arta FM that Turkish tanks targeted sand trucks as they tried to get down to sand quarries in the village near the Tigris River. The sources added that the Turkish shelling did not result in casualties.”

No additional information is presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 village of Malikya village, Afrin (مالكية), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.542778, 36.991944. 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
    4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS121

Incident date

January 24, 2018

Location

جمان, Jman village, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.64629, 36.940134 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Afrin Anhan reported that there were “civilian martyrs in a Turkish shelling of Jman village in Shiran district, Afrin”. Furthermore, according to Almanar, “a civilian was killed by Turkish artillery shells”.

Other sources however did not report on any civilian casualties from this airstrike.

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 – 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 (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Jman village, Afrin (جمان), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.64629, 36.940134. 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 – 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS122

Incident date

January 24, 2018

Location

جنديرس, Jindires, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.391667, 36.693056 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to Rok online, “a father found his two children who were wounded days after they were displaced from the western town of Jenderes, west of Syria. Their convoy was targeted by the Turkish army and its Islamic militia.

Ahmed Khallouf, a father of four children from Jandiers district, who fled to Afrin, said the Turkish artillery targeted their convoy as they attempted to exit on January 24, causing his son and daughter to be hit by shrapnel in the foot. He also lost the mother of his wife”. It is not clear whether the woman was killed or literally ‘lost’.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The Khalouf family caught up in alleged Turkish shelling on Jindires, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Afrin- rok)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Jindires, Afrin (جنديرس), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.391667, 36.693056. 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 – 1
  • (0–1 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS123

Incident date

January 24, 2018

Location

شيا عفرين, Shya, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.496944, 36.598333 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Kurdish Red Crescent reported that two civilian males were killed and five injured in the vicinity of Shya in Afrin canton.

A report shared with Airwars, named the five injured men.

No additional details are presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Rashed Hassan
33 years old male killed
Shekho Haydar Shalik
39 years old male killed
Ahmad Ali Murad
20 years old male named by a report shared with Airwars injured
Zakarya Hason
37 years old male named by a report shared with Airwars injured
Majed Haysam Shabo
41 years old male named by a report shared with Airwars injured
Alosh Muhamad Mustafa
25 years old male named by a report shared with Airwars injured
Marwan Horo
32 years old male named by a report shared with Airwars injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

    • English
    • English

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Shya (شيا عفرين), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.496944, 36.598333. 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
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

    • English
    • English

Incident Code

TS124

Incident date

January 24, 2018

Location

جنديرس, Jindires, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.391667, 36.693056 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman was killed in an alleged Turkish strike on Jindires, according to multiple reports. The victim was named by multiple sources as 42-year-old Amina Sedak. Reports said that the victim had “special needs” and was “mentally impaired”.

Most reports claimed “several wounded.”

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Amina Sedak
42 years old female Mentally impaired killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A photo showing destruction the local area in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Jindires, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Afrin Now)
  • Footage showing the extend of the damage to the local area in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Jindires, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Afrin Now)
  • Amina Sidik, killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Jindires, Afrin, 24th January 2018. (via Susan Brimo)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Jindires, Afrin (جنديرس), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.391667, 36.693056. 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
  • (1 woman)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS125

Incident date

January 25, 2018

Location

جنديرس, Jindires, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.391667, 36.693056 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Kurdish Red Crescent reported that one civilian boy died in the Jenderes area.

A second man was reported injured.

No additional details are presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Nazy Yousif Yousif
16 years old male killed
Merkan Eed
21 years old male injured

Summary

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Jindires, Afrin (جنديرس), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.391667, 36.693056. 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
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]