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

TS499

Incident date

April 16, 2022

Location

قرية تل طويله, Tel Tawel village, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.663086, 40.285234 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was severely injured in alleged Turkish shelling of Tel Tawel village on April 16, 2022.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights activists reported “the severe injury of a Christian leading to the amputation of his leg, due to artillery shelling by Turkish forces on Tel Tawel village”.

A source in the Tel Tamr Military Council told North Press that “the inhabited Assyrian village of Tel Tawil, west of the town of Tel Tamr, was hit with heavy weapons by the Turkish forces”. However, at the time of reporting, there was no information on casualties or material damage.

Various other local sources reported on the incident but did not mention civilian casualties. All of the sources that reported information blamed Turkish forces for the shelling.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

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
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish shelling of Tel Tawel village on April 14, 2022. (Image posted by North Press Agency)
  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish shelling of Tel Tawel village on April 14, 2022. (Image posted by North Press Agency)
  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish shelling of Tel Tawel village on April 14, 2022. (Image posted by North Press Agency)
  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish shelling of Tel Tawel village on April 14, 2022. (Image posted by North Press Agency)
  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish shelling of Tel Tawel village on April 14, 2022. (Image posted by Ajansa Nûçeyan a Firate)
  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish shelling of Tel Tawel village on April 14, 2022. (Image posted by @AssyrianSR)
  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish shelling of Tel Tawel village on April 14, 2022. (Image posted by @AssyrianSR)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tel Tawel village (قرية تل طويله), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.663086, 40.285234. 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
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS533

Incident date

July 25, 2022

Location

تل زيوان, Tal Ziwan, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

37.058585, 41.355114 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On July 25th 2022, an alleged Turkish shelling left civilians wounded in Tal Ziwan village, northeast of Al Qamishli, in Al Hassakah, Syria.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that an officer in the Syrian regime forces was injured in this bombardment, carried out by Turkish forces stationed at the border outposts in this area, and that the injury was among “the presence of wounded civilians”. No sources indicated the number of civilians who were injured in this attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tal Ziwan (تل زيوان), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.058585, 41.355114. 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
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS483b

Incident date

January 8, 2022

Location

Koltepe village, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian was injured in alleged Turkish airstrikes or drone strikes on Koltepe village and the surrounding villages on January 8, 2022.

According to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, in total one civilian was killed and 12 other civilians, including women and children, were wounded in incidents across Kobani. The injuries varied in severity and were taken to Kobani hospital for treatment.

Hawar News reported the name of the civilian injured in Koltepe village: Jihan Mulla Osman Saleh (25 years old), Koltepe village.

The villages that were affected by the Turkish bombing were the villages of Tal Hajib, Qarmog, Goran, Khani, Sarzuri and Koltepe, located east of Kobani on the border with Turkey.

The General Council of the Democratic Union Party issued a written statement: “In a new test for the international community and the United Nations, the Turkish regime violated international principles and laws and targeted civilians in the center of Kobani city this morning, Saturday, with (drones) and heavy weapons, and its indiscriminate bombing resulted in martyrs and wounded civilians and extensive damage to their property.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members

The victims were named as:

Jihan Mulla Osman Saleh
25 years old injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • The villages of Qere Mox, Khani, Tel Hajjab and Alishar in eastern Kobani canton on the border with Turkey were being bombed on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • The villages of Qere Mox, Khani, Tel Hajjab and Alishar in eastern Kobani canton on the border with Turkey were being bombed on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • The villages of Qere Mox, Khani, Tel Hajjab and Alishar in eastern Kobani canton on the border with Turkey were being bombed on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • Damage from alleged Turkish shelling on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Kassioun)
  • Damage from alleged Turkish shelling on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Kassioun)

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS602

Incident date

June 14, 2023

Location

الدندنية, Al Dandaniyah, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.576592, 37.762351 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On 14 June 2023, two children were injured by an alleged Turkish artillery strike, followed by a drone strike, on a farm in Al-Dandaniyah village in Manbij, the western countryside east of Aleppo.

One of the children who survived the strike, Muhammad Saeed, noted that the attack ‘directly bombed their whereabouts’ according to Hawar News. Muhammad also told Hawar News that the other child that was injured is named Othman Al Abdullah.

According to a statement from the Press Office of Manbij Military Council (MMC), whilst attempting to transfer the children to a hospital for treatment, four members of the MMC were killed by a Turkish drone strike and left two other members injured.

This version of events is supported by documentation by the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights and the Kurdish news outlet ANF. All of the sources attribute the strikes to Turkish forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Saeed محمد سعيد
Child injured
Othman Al Abdullah
Child male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Artillery, Drone Strike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4
  • Belligerents reported injured
    2

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of a child injured by alleged Turkish shelling on June 14, 2023. (Image posted by SDF Press Office)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of a child injured by alleged Turkish shelling on June 14, 2023. (Image posted by SDF Press Office)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of a child injured by alleged Turkish shelling on June 14, 2023. (Image posted by SDF Press Office)
  • Graphic image of a child injured by alleged Turkish shelling on June 14, 2023. (Image posted by SDF Press Office)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of a child injured by alleged Turkish shelling on June 14, 2023. (Image posted by SDF Press Office)
  • Graphic image of a child injured by alleged Turkish shelling on June 14, 2023. (Image posted by SDF Press Office)
  • Four fighters killed while trying to help two children injured by alleged Turkish shelling on June 14, 2023. (Image posted by @Ahmad_1alshble via Twitter)
  • Graphic image of a child injured by alleged Turkish shelling on June 14, 2023. (Image posted by SDF Press Office)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Dandaniyah (الدندنية), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.576592, 37.762351. 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, Artillery, Drone Strike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4
  • Belligerents reported injured
    2

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS631

Incident date

September 21, 2023

Location

قرية صفاوية, Safawiyah village, Raqqa, Syria

Airwars assessment

A civilian was injured by alleged Turkish drone strikes on the village of Safawiyah on September 21, 2023.

Hawar News reported that a citizen named Qaban Aziz Al-Khalil (29 years old) was injured and transferred to Al-Raqqa Hospital to receive treatment when a Turkish drone bombed the village of Safawiyah.

BasNews reported that a Turkish drone bombed a Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) military point, resulting in casualties, including a civilian. The source specified that number of fighters were killed, including prominent officials.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

The victims were named as:

Qaban Aziz Al-Khalil قبن عزيز الخليل
29 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Qaban Aziz Al-Khalil (29 years old), injured by alleged Turkish drone strikes on the village of Safawiyah on September 21, 2023. (Image posted by Hawar News)

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS048 CS443 RS1834

Incident date

January 13, 2017

Location

تادف, Tadef, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.34857, 37.531501 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and 12 civilians were killed, and as many as 22 were wounded, in an air and artillery strike which hit the Daesh controlled area of Tadef, Aleppo. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame, with two sources blaming the International US led Coalition, two blaming Syrian regime helicopters, and many more blaming Turkish and Russian warplanes, according to local sources.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said that the Coalition was responsible, putting the death toll, at six civilians including one woman. The Shaam News Network also reported that six died, including women and children, at the hands of the Coalition.

According to Al Raed La Yakzub Ahlahu (an IS propaganda source), three non-combatants died and 22 others were injured in “Russian and Syrian raids”.

LCCSY said that Russia had carried out strikes, as did the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

However, Euphrates Post attributed the incident to “regime warplanes and helicopters”, putting the death toll as high as 12. “According to civilian sources speaking to Euphrates Post  regime warplanes targeted residential sites near the Cultural Center building, east of the city, with two raids.”

Additionally, it was reported that helicopters struck residential buildings with explosives barrels near the coach station.

Al Zanlooki reported that eight civilians died and more were injured in raids by “planes believed to be Turkish”. Manbij mother of all the world also said Turkey was responsible, as did the activist Al Zanlooki.

Albab23 named the following victims: “Mohammad Khalil Abdan, members of the al Masri family and members of the Kariz family.”

Some sources said the death toll was likely to rise due to the severity of the wounds.

Allegedly members of the Civil Defence were also killed in the raids.

One source reported that two buildings of three stories each, were completely destroyed in the raid, as was other civilian housing.

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.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Khalil Abdan
Age unknown male killed
Ali Ahmad al Shanani
Age unknown male killed
Najah Mohammad al Shanani
Age unknown killed
Abd al Hamid Yunis al Hazzouri
Age unknown male killed
Members of the al Masri family
Age unknown killed
Members from the Kariz family
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 12
  • (0–2 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    17–22
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Syrian Regime, Russian Military, US-led Coalition

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an alleged Turkish, Russian, Coalition and Syrian regime raid on Tadef, 13th January 2017. (via Syria news desk)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Tadef, Aleppo ( تادف), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.34857, 37.531501. 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

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any specific strikes between January 1st – 31st 2017.

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
    37SCA682236
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jun 24, 2020

  • Jan. 13, 2017, in Tadef, 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. 3082/CS443 37SCA682236

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For January 12th-13th and January 13th-14th the Coalition did not publicly report any strikes in or near Tadef.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 12
  • (0–2 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    17–22
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Syrian Regime, Russian Military, US-led Coalition

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS069 RS1872

Incident date

January 30, 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

Between four and seven civilians were reportedly killed in alleged Russian or Turkish airstrikes on Al Bab.

Hara FM accused Russia of the attack: “Four people dead and three wounded from one family from Russian bombing of the village Qasr al-Bureij southeast of the city of Al Bab.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights also blamed Russia and added that two children and a woman were among the victims.

Halab Today TV published two reports, saying the death toll was either five or seven, including four children wounded. It did not clearly blame any belligerent for the incident. As Turkey repeatedly shelled Al Bab during this period of time, Turkish involvement does not seem unlikely.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 7
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • "5 civilians were killed and 6 others wounded by air and artillery bombardment of Bab and Tadef in the eastern suburbs of Aleppo yesterday" (via Halab Today TV)

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 7
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS420 TS030

Incident date

December 23, 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

Between 20 and 25 civilians died in a Turkish (or less likely Coalition) raid on al Bab.

According to ISIS’s media wing, “Turkish planes committed a new massacre in al Bab for the second day running – initial toll of 20 dead.”

Umayya reported the death toll as being possibly even higher than 25: “The number of people killed in Turkish airstrikes on the city of Bab on Friday rose to more than 25, mostly civilians, including seven children and ten women, including four families killed in the rubble of their homes, in addition to dozens of injuries.”

Graphic images posted on social media showed several slaim children.

LCCSY was the only source to attribute the attack to the US-led Coalition. In an emailed response to a report submitted by Airwars on this and other incidents in December 2016, Coalition officials said the event was presently assessed as ‘Not credible for Coalition caused civcas.’ It also stated that “After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (8)

Mohammad ali Al Ragheb
Adult male killed
Najah
Adult female Mohammad ali Al Ragheb's wife killed
Manal al Ragheb
Age unknown female Mohammad ali Al Ragheb's daughter killed
Manal al Ragheb's son
Age unknown male killed
Mohammad Kheir al Ragheb
Age unknown male Mohammad ali Al Ragheb's son
Mohammad Kheir al Ragheb's wife
Adult female killed
Mohammad Kheir al Ragheb's son
male Also named Mohammed killed
Mohammad Kheir al Ragheb's daughter
female Najjah killed

The victims were named as:

Khalil Zakariya al Saleh [al Shafi’i]
Age unknown male killed
Abu Asa’ad al Maghribi
Age unknown male killed
Abu Daham family
Age unknown not yet confirmed] killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20 – 25
  • (3–7 children3–10 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Tweet saying more than 75 civilians killed in al Bab in alleged Turkish raids and reports that daesh is preventing civilians from leaving. 23rd December 2016. (via salam_alfraty2)
  • 20 civilians reported killed in alleged Turkish strikes on al Bab. 23rd December 2016. (via Kalmuqdad)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Photos of children killed in alleged Turkish strikes on al bab. 23rd December 2016. (via Khaled_qahtan)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Photos of children killed in alleged Turkish strikes on al bab. 23rd December 2016. (via Khaled_qahtan)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Photos of children killed in alleged Turkish strikes on al bab. 23rd December 2016. (via Khaled_qahtan)

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.

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
  • Stated location
    near Al Bab, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 4, 2017

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area of the reported civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For December 22nd-24th the Coalition publicly reported no strikes in Aleppo governorate.

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

‘Friday 23 December – Typhoons bombed a terrorist position north of Tabaqah in Syria; in Iraq, Tornados hit a weapons cache north-east of Haditha, and a Reaper destroyed an artillery gun near Mosul…The next day [Dec 23rd], Typhoon FGR4s, armed with Paveway IV guided bombs, patrolled over Syria and successfully attacked a terrorist position which SDF fighters had encountered to the north of Tabaqah, near Lake Assad. In Iraq, Tornados used Paveway IVs to destroy a weapons stockpile some 50 miles north-east of Haditha, whilst a Reaper remotely piloted aircraft assisted the Iraqi operations in Mosul; its crew conducted a thorough check for civilians who might be at risk before a successful coalition air strike destroyed another weapons stockpile. The Reaper then delivered an attack using one of its own Hellfire missiles to destroy an artillery piece loaded on a trailer – as with the tank, the terrorists had attempted to hide the gun under a tarpaulin in thick woodland to the north-west of the city, but to no avail.’

Danish Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

Danske øjne styrer fly sikkert gennem Irak og Syrien “Hvis man forestiller sig at skulle lande i en lufthavn eller flyve, hvor flyvelederne sidder med lukkede øjne, så har man situationen, hvis vores radar ikke snurrede rundt.” 23-12-2016 – kl. 11:00 Af radarbidraget og ACW I en amerikansk enhed arbejder et mindre radarbidrag fra Flyvevåbnet, hvor de holder styr på luftrummet over Irak og Syrien i kampen mod ISIL. Kingpin bliver kontrolcentralen kaldt, hvorfra det amerikanske flyvevåbens 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron sammen med både australiere, englændere og danskere er øjne, øre og guidende hænder for flytrafikken. 24 timer i døgnet holder de øje med luftrummet over Afghanistan, den Arabiske Gulf, Irak og Syrien. De danske udsendte fra Flyvevåbnets Air Control Wing koncentrerer sig om Irak og Syrien og går under kaldenavnet Gotham, hvor de blandt andet anvender den danske radar på Al Asad Airbase i Irak, som er en del af det samlede danske radarbidrag. Men de trækker også på en række andre radarer, radioer og overvågningsfly, så der konstant kan produceres et opdateret luftbillede, så flyene kan blive støttet i deres missioner. – Vi er et relativt lille bidrag på i alt cirka 30 mand med operatører og radarteknikere, men effekten af bidraget er enormt. Hvis man forestiller sig at skulle lande i en lufthavn eller flyve, hvor flyvelederne sidder med lukkede øjne, så har man situationen, hvis vores radar ikke snurrede rundt, siger chefen for radarbidraget, oberstløjtnant Kim Krogh.’

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    20 – 25
  • (3–7 children3–10 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]