Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

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

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

Incident Code

TS105

Incident date

January 21, 2018

Location

عفرين, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.511389, 36.864167 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Kurdish Red Crescent reported that two civilians were killed and five people injured in the vicinity of Afrin city.

In a private message with Airwars, it was reported that two people were killed and two people were injured.

There are no additional details are presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Abdo Kinjo
27 years old male killed
Muhammad Kado
32 years old male killed
Viyan Rashed
Adult female shock injured
Mustafa Muhammad
Adult male shock injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 city of Afrin (عفرين), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.511389, 36.864167. 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
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

    • English
    • English

Incident Code

TS040

Incident date

January 5, 2017

Location

الباب, Al Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were reportedly killed in an alleged Turkish artillery shelling on Al Bab.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights wrote: “And two citizens, including a child, were killed in shelling by Turkish forces on areas in Al Bab city in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo.”

The ISIS propaganda outlet Al Raed La Ykazeb Ahlahu published a similar report and also said that 11 people were injured.

Jabal Aqel Al Bab reported that one person killed came from the Sukkar family, while the other one is a child from Al Mahdatha school. In addition, the source mentioned 15 wounded people.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Member of the Sukkar family
Age unknown killed
Child from Al Mahdatha school
Child killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–15
  • 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]

Geolocation notes

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

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–15
  • 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

TS210

Incident date

February 17, 2018

Location

جنديرس, عفرين, Jindires, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

In a private report to Airwars, the Kurdish Red Crescent reported the death of two civilian adult males in an alleged Turkish shelling of Jindires, Syria.

The victims were identified by names.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hussein Mustafa Majeed
30 years old male killed
Mohammed Umar Kara Mustafa
20 years old male killed

Summary

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Jindires, Afrin (جنديرس, عفرين), 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
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS243

Incident date

March 3, 2018

Location

دررويش, Darwish village, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.635, 36.668056 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Rumaf reported “an AFP photographer and German ZDF correspondent were targeted with two Turkish artillery shells in the village of Darwish in Sharan district in Afrin”.

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Darwish village, Afrin (دررويش), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.635, 36.668056. 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 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS345 TS005d

Incident date

October 22, 2016

Location

الطويحينة, Al Tweihina, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.443611, 37.248056 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Airstrikes, possibly carried out by Turkish forces, killed one civilian according to one local report. Others referred only to violent clashes between non state actors.

Smart News Agency reported that “international Coalition aircraft” targeting ISIS in Al Tweihina which it said killed one civilian and two members of the terror group. However, the report identified the village as being located in Raqqa governorate.

The Syrian Observatory reported instead that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) attacked “Turkish soldiers” in the vicinity of Al Tweihina. The Observatory added that “different sources confirmed to SOHR that a number of Turkish soldiers were killed” though it may have been referencing rebels supported by Turkey. It did however allude to “aerial reconnaissance aircraft” in the area, possibly belonging to Turkey.

Tal Abiyad posted pictures and video of an armoured vehicle that it said was captured from the “al Sham Front.” (update from December 2018, this video is no longer available to view online.)

Daily Sabah meanwhile cited the Turkish military and reported that “FSA fighters with the support of the Turkish military continued to attack” Kurdish forces in the area. The report cited a number of airstrikes.

In their June 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Turkish Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • A map highlighting that the village is in the Aleppo countryside not Raqqa countryside. It is in the bottom left corner of the area highlighted in light blue. (via Airwas researcher)
  • An armoured vehicle reportedly captured by SDF fighters from the “al Sham Front.” (via Tal Abiyad News)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Tweihina (الطويحينة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.443611, 37.248056. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

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

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

Declassified Assessment Press Release

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SCA429345
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 24, 2020
  • Oct. 22, 2016, in Tweihina, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 3072/CS345 37SCA429345

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For October 21st-22nd, the Coalition reported “Near Washiyah, one strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle.” For October 22nd-23rd, the Coalition reported “Near Mar’a, one strike destroyed an ISIL artillery system.”

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
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Turkish Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS212

Incident date

February 19, 2018

Location

بلدة الباسوطة, Bashute villages, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.434167, 36.873889 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to many sources, one child was killed and 11 other civilians mainly children were wounded in the alleged Turkish shelling of Bashute villages, Syria.

Their names identified the civilian casualties, this including a the 13-year-old girl and additionally, 11 civilians as wounded.

The Kurdish Red Crescent reported that another 24-years-old civilian sustained bruising to his body. He was trying to escape the Turkish attacks on the village when he had a car accident.

In a video for Rojava, an eyewitness gave testimony in Kurdish with English subtitles: ”

There were eight children here, and Xelil the owner of the house. They all got injured and my neighbour’s daughter was martyred. What can one say?”

Another neighbour: “We heard rockets then we came here. The children had been sitting here; they were actually playing. Some of them were reading behind the house. Their books are still there on the ground. They were reading here they were reading.”

Another man: “We were running here, and as you can see here it’s completely broken but not only here: they fired 3 or 4, my sister’s house and our house and some over there, close to the castle. They say the YPG is here, but there is no YPG, it’s all civilians. Some people came here escaping from the border areas to find a safe place.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

13 years old female Via Nuce24 killed
42 years old male Via Nuce24 injured
14 years old Via Nuce24 injured
11 years old Via Nuce24 injured
7 years old Via Nuce24 injured
11 years old Via Nuce24 injured
12 years old Via Nuce24 injured
9 years old Via Nuce24 injured
9 years old Via Nuce24 injured
27 years old Via Nuce24 injured
Age unknown Via Nuce24 injured
Age unknown Via Nuce24 injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11
  • 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 (23) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (27) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows an injured child at the hospital being treated following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (Source: Rumaf)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows an injured civilian at the hospital being treated following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (Source: Rumaf)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows an injured man at the hospital being treated following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (Source: IC Afrinresistance)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows an injured man at the hospital being treated following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (Source: IC Afrinresistance)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows an injured child at the hospital being treated following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (Source: IC Afrinresistance)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows the 13-year old victim ( Heva Klaho), killed following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (Source: Athrpress)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows an injured man at the hospital after being treated following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (Source: Nuce 24)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Another picture shows the 13-year old victim ( Heva Klaho), killed following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (Source: Nuce 24)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A video shows the aftermath of the shelling allegedly by Turkish which led to the killing one child and wounded 11 other civilians mainly children on Bashute villages, Syria (source: Afrin now)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows a child civilian at the hospital being treated following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (Source: Revofront)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows a child civilian at the hospital being treated following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (Source: Revofront)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows a child civilian at the hospital being treated following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (Source: Revofront)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows a child civilian at the hospital being treated following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (Source: Revofront)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows a child civilian at the hospital being treated following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (Source: Revofront)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture of the victim Jenav Ziad Kilaho. 11 years old, at the hospital after being treated following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (source:Kurdish red crescent pdf emailed to Abdul)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture of the victim (Shivan Khalil Kilaho) a 6-year-old got many fragments in all his body following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (source: Kurdish red crescent pdf emailed to Abdul)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows Henan Mohemmed Kilaho the 11-year-old got injuries in his back and foot following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (source: Kurdish red crescent pdf emailed to Abdul)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows the victim (Ava Khalil Kilaho) the 11-year-old got an injury in her forearm following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (source: Kurdish red crescent pdf emailed to Abdul)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows the victim Dilber Khalil Kilaho 14 years old got bruising in all her body following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (source: Kurdish red crescent pdf emailed to Abdul)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows the victim (Dijwar Nezmay Kilaho) 8 years old got an injury in his right knee following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (source: Kurdish red crescent pdf emailed to Abdul)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows the victim (Khalil Nebih Kilaho) 42 years old got injuries in his lower parts and his left forearm following an alleged Turkish shelling on Bashute villages, Syria (source: Kurdish red crescent pdf emailed to Abdul)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Unrecognisable body of a child who was killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Bashute villages, Afrin, 19th March 2018. (via Revofront)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Unrecognisable body of a child who was killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Bashute villages, Afrin, 19th March 2018. (via Revofront)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Unrecognisable body of a child who was killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Bashute villages, Afrin, 19th March 2018. (via Revofront)
  • Basel Jumah Omar 24 years old got bruising in his body. He was trying to escape the Turkish attacks on the village when he had a car accident. (source: Kurdish red crescent pdf emailed to Abdul)
  • Injured civilian being treated in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish raid on Bashute villages, Afrin. (via Ahmad Hasan)
  • Injured civilian being treated in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish raid on Bashute villages, Afrin. (via Ahmad Hasan)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Bashute villages, Afrin (بلدة الباسوطة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.434167, 36.873889. 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
    11
  • 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 (23) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS244

Incident date

March 5, 2018

Location

قارة تابه, Qarah Tabah village, Shara district, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.554722, 36.895000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman was killed and up to 22 more were wounded, including women and children, in alleged Turkish artillery and/or airstrike shelling of Qarah village, Syria, according to local sources.

Hawar News reported: “A citizen woman was killed and an elderly man was seriously injured by the Turkish occupation army shelling on the village of Qara Tabah, belonging to the Afrin region. According to the information reported by our correspondent, the Turkish occupation bombed the village of Qara Tbeh of the Afrin region late at night after midnight, resulting in the death of 50-year-old citizen Ramziya Abdulrahman and the injury Nabi Safar Sheikho, 60, which led to the amputation of his right hand. Both citizens were transferred to one of the hospitals in the city of Afrin.”

Sources said that Nabi Safar Sheikho was Ramziya Abdulrahman’s husband.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “artillery, missiles and airstrikes killed at least one citizen and wounded dozens of citizens, including civilians and children, Some of the wounded were seriously injured”.

Adapress said that up to 22 civilians were wounded including seven children “as a result of Turkish bombardment of the village of Qara Tabah and the village of Barbana in Rajo”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ramziya Abdulrahman
50 years old female killed
Nabi Safar Sheikho
60 years old male injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–22
  • 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 (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded civilian in the aftermath of alleged Turkish shelling on Qarah Tabah village, Shara district, Afrin, 5th March 2018. (via Jwanmoustafa5)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded civilian in the aftermath of alleged Turkish shelling on Qarah Tabah village, Shara district, Afrin, 5th March 2018. (via Jwanmoustafa5)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded civilian in the aftermath of alleged Turkish shelling on Qarah Tabah village, Shara district, Afrin, 5th March 2018. (via Jwanmoustafa5)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded civilian in the aftermath of alleged Turkish shelling on Qarah Tabah village, Shara district, Afrin, 5th March 2018. (via Jwanmoustafa5)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded civilian in the aftermath of alleged Turkish shelling on Qarah Tabah village, Shara district, Afrin, 5th March 2018. (via Arin Chikhmous)
  • A wounded civilian in the aftermath of alleged Turkish shelling on Qarah Tabah village, Shara district, Afrin, 5th March 2018. (via ANHA)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Qarah Tabah village, Shara district, Afrin (قارة تابه), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.554722, 36.895000. 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
    1–22
  • 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 (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS023

Incident date

December 15, 2016

Location

الباب, Al Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

The ISIS-affiliated media propaganda outlet Al A’amaq reported one civilian dead and others injured as a result of a Turkish bombardment of Al Bab.

It wrote: “One person killed and eight injured following Turkish bombardment targeting al Bab in the Aleppo countryside this afternoon.”

There are no other known details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

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

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
    8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]