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

TS435

Incident date

May 16, 2020

Location

Qeşqa, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.630682, 40.024910 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian was killed and an unknown number of others was wounded when Turkish forces and Turkey-backed militants opened fire at a car in northwest Ras Al Ayn city on May 16th, 2020.

A reporter for the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), which is affiliated with the Syrian regime, in Hasaka stated that “the occupation forces and their mercenaries intentionally opened fire on a van coming for Raqqa city near a checkpoint for the occupation mercenary on Saturday [May 16th]”, adding that the killed man worked in a school while the injured man is a retired worker from an electricity company.

@IbrahimDSY wrote on Twitter that there had been “one civilian martyr and another wounded, as the Turkish occupation forces and its terrorist mercenaries, fired on a civilian car near a terrorist barrier southwest of Ras Al Ayn.”

ANF stated that “the slain civilian is Mihemed Hesen El Cabir from the village of Migrin, west of Til Helef, who was on his way home back from Raqqa last night with others when Turkish-backed jihadists opened fire on the group. Several other people were injured. The man’s body was taken to Selam Hospital in Serêkaniyê.”

@vvanwilgenburg, however, reported that two civilians were killed, naming them as Mihemed Xidir Husên and Ziyab El-Elî.

The incident occured during the night.

The victims were named as:

Mihemed Xidir Husên
Adult male killed
Ziyab El-Elî
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Qeşqa, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.630682, 40.024910. 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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS450

Incident date

October 13, 2020

Location

غرب منبج, West of Manbij, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

Civilians were reportedly injured in alleged Turkish artillery strikes on the villages of Umm Jalloud, Tal Sayada, Umm Adasat Al Farat, and Al Dundaniyya in Aleppo governorate on October 13th, 2020, according to Hawar News.

Hawar reported that: “The villages located on the front line west of Manbij city, including “Umm Jalloud, Tal Sayada, Umm Lens, and Al-Dundaniyya” are being bombed by the Turkish occupation army and its mercenaries with heavy weapons and artillery, while the Manbij Military Council responds to the sources of bombing within the framework of the legitimate right to defence.”

The source added: “Clashes are still continuing until the moment this news is prepared, amid reports that civilians have been injured in the targeted villages.”

Currently, further information is unavailable to Airwars.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention multiple strikes in the surrounding areas west of Manbij (منبج) city. These are the villages of Umm Jalloud (أم جلود), Umm Adasat Al Farat (أم عدسة الفارات, mistranslated as Umm Lens), Sayada (صيادة), and Al Dundaniyya (الدنينية). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for a middle point between these locations are: 36.587966, 37.767906.

  • Reports of the incident mention multiple strikes in the surrounding areas west of Manbij (منبج) city. These are the villages of Umm Jalloud (أم جلود), Umm Adasat Al Farat (أم عدسة الفارات, mistranslated as Umm Lens), Sayada (صيادة), and Al Dundaniyya (الدنينية).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4317 IRS009 YS106

Incident date

June 12, 2021

Location

مشفى الشفاء, Al Shifaa Hospital, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.509587, 36.858479 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least 13 civilians, including four hospital staff and a pregnant woman, two to five other women, and one to three children, were killed and up to 50 others, including 11 hospital staff, were injured in alleged airstrikes and/or artillery shelling of Al-Shifaa Hospital in Afrin on June 12, 2021. Responsibility for the strikes is contested, which sources reporting that the Syrian Democratic Forces, Russian forces, and/or Iranian forces carried out the attack(s).

The Syrian American Medical Society issues a statement that “SAMS-supported Al-Shifaa Hospital in Afrin, Syria was directly targeted by two missiles. Initial reports from the ground indicate that thirteen people have been killed. Tragically, of this number, two were hospital staff and two were ambulance drivers. Eleven staff were injured, including one midwife in critical condition”. Additional details are that “the first missile hit the emergency room, and the second missile hit the labor and delivery room. Both units have been completely destroyed, in addition to the outpatient department that was partially destroyed. The hospital has been taken out of service, evacuating patients to nearby facilities.”

@hsasmar also identified Mahmoud Al-Dabbas Abu Khaled as someone who was “trying to provide aid to the wounded who fell as a result of the bombing on the city of #Afrin.”

@BilloMohemed gave the context that Zalloukh Hanan Muhammad, 85 years old was killed “when a missile fell on her house in the vicinity of Marati roundabout in the center of Afrin city”.

The victims “Zeinab Sheikh Daoud“, 21 years old, and her two-year-old son, “Yusuf Qilij”, from the village of Ma’arat were both killed as well, according to @SheroAlo1. Afrin Rights Watch reported that the husband and father of the deceased was being held in Marati Prison / Marata, under the control of the Turkish, and was denied a request to be released to attend their funeral.

According to @Zoher__kh, a friend of one of the victims, Majed Kbeish was a member of the Shafak Organization. @rame0alsayed also identified Anwar Al-Daher as an employee of the Shafak Organization and pointed out that he was helping one of the wounded when he was killed.

Syrian Archive spoke with the daughter go Anwar Al-Daher, who told them “Baba’s name is no longer on the door, Baba was killed, there’s no longer a door.” Al-Daher had been forcibly displaced from Kafr Aweed in the southern countryside of Idlib and was visiting Afrin with his Majid Kubaish for their work with Shafak and were treating patients at the hospital when they both were killed.

Maaret alnuman posted on Facebook that Rana Fawzi Al-Manfoukh, the wife of Mahmoud Khashan, was also killed in the bombing of Al Shifaa Hospital.

A Facebook post by Mustafa Sheikho identified the death of Malak Othman Khalil from the village of Konde Khalil and the injury of her daughter, Mazkin Hassan Muhammad, from Alkana.

An image posted by @Marea_Elshame shows a child in a wheelchair who was paralyzed prior to the incident and was killed in the strikes.

@SyrianCoalition published a full list of the names of those killed: Zaloukh Hanan Muhammad Afrin, 85 years old (F); Zainab Sheikh Daoud Afrin, 21 years old  (F); Yusuf Kilij Khushan Afrin, 2 years old  (M); Muhammad Osama Mamdouh Homs, 33 years old  (M); Dana Al-Manfoukh  (F); Ghaith Abbas, 23 years old  (M); Samira Al-Sufi, Damascus, 41 years old  (F); Mahmoud Dias Homs, 35 years old  (M); Fadel Haj Ibrahim  (M); Laith Al-Hamwi  (M); Lian Mustafa Al-Amiri  (F); Lana Mustafa Al-Amiri  (F); Anwar Ahmed Daher  (M); Majed Kbeish  (M)

Syrian Civil Defense published the names Ismail Al-Naasan, Zaher Hamsho, and Ahmed Ibrahim, three volunteers of the White Helmets were injured while performing their humanitarian duty.

Syrian Archive reported that “a picture shows Ahmed Al Ibrahim, 35 years old, injured in a Civil Defense car. Ahmed, who has only worked as a volunteer in the Civil Defense for four months told the Syrian Archive team, “I was sad because I could not complete my mission after I was hit in the bombing, corpses and body parts were all over the place, there were many injured people everywhere.” Pictures and a video posted by the Syrian Civil Defense show Ahmed’s face covered in dust and blood, following the bombing of a residential community and later Al Shifa Hospital in Afrin with a total of 14 rocket shells”.

Afrin Post included additional names of civilians injured from Afrin: Fatima Sager Ahmed, 56 years old (F); Mazkin Muhammad Hassan, 39 years old (F)  //daughter of Malak Othamn Khalil; Ali Ali Mahmoud, 21 years old (M); Awfa Al-Nasir Muhammad, 50 years old (?); Nidal Hajj Ibrahim, 55 years old (M); Laith Al-Amiri Mustafa, 4 years old (M); Layan Al-Amiri Mustafa, a year and a half old (M); Nisreen Al-Aroor Abdul Karim 2 years old (F); Aisha Kılıch Colin, 56 years old (M)

Afrin Post also named civilians injured from outside of Afrin: Mohieddin Al-Zein, age 55 (M); Ismail Nassan 39 (M); Muhammad Saleh. 23 (M); Zahid Hamsho 36 (?); Douaa Kamel Saad Eddin 60 (F); Abdullah Al-Abed 33 (M); Iman, Ghadab Zakaria (5 years) (F); Jalal Al-Qassab Omar (30 years old) (M); Iman al-Akhras Muhammad (22 years old) (F); Muhammad Qadriya (27 .) (M); Muhammad Hamidi Attia (36 years old) (M); Qusay Muhammad Khalil (31 years old). (M); Muhammad Zaher Al-Sakka (41 years old) (M); Bilal Ramadan (29 years old). (M); Hossam Noureddine Farouk (37 years old) (M); Tariq Najm Muhammad Faisal (31 years old) (M)

Syrian Archive identified three of those killed as being soldiers: Mahmoud Khalid Debbas, Ghaith Bassam Al Abbas, and Mamdouh Osama Al Abish.

Nurse Samir Aghwani, one of the staff members at Al Shifa, told Syrian Archive “While working, I heard several consecutive rockets and explosions at 18:05 on Saturday, June 12. I immediately went to the emergency room after a call came about injuries in the Al Filat and Al Siyasiya streets. Ambulances began transporting those injured to Al Shifa Hospital, which was closest to the attack. While we applied first aid and a number of doctors entered the operating room to conduct surgeries, and about an hour after the first bombing, the hospital was targeted by two missiles. One of them fell in the emergency room where I was. The second fell in the middle of the hospital. I froze as horrific scenes passed in front of me before I regained my senses and opened my phone. I documented what had happened and then went to treat the injured. The place was filling with blood and corpses, and my colleagues, the Civil Defense teams, and I treated the wounded.”

The director of the hospital, Hossam Al Hamdan, told Syrian Archive that the shelling completely destroyed the emergency and gynecology departments as well as the operating rooms and clinics.

Naim Al Qasim, director of the Civil Defense Center in Afrin, said in an interview with the Syrian Archive team that, “At 18:05 Afrin was hit by rockets. The shelling concentrated around the vicinity of the Ibn Sina Hospital and Al Shifa Hospital, hitting civilian homes. The Civil Defense went to the location hit. The results of the shelling was one killed and four wounded. Other than a patient who was sent to Afrin Hospital, we transported the wounded to Al-Shifa Hospital. When the vehicles returned at around 19:00, the city was hit by a second attack. Among the locations hit in this attack was Al-Shifa Hospital. The Civil Defense paramedics present at the hospital were injured as well as some of the hospital staff in addition to civilians. They were treated and taken from the hospital. The initial outcome was around 15 dead and 43 injured, in addition to severe damage to the hospital and residential buildings as well to equipment belonging to the Civil Defense.”

Mohammed Al Youssef, an ambulance driver, told the Syrian Archive team, “We received an emergency response call at 18:05 of civilian casualties on Al Siyasiya street, near Al Filat, from rocket fire. We immediately went there and were the first teams to arrive. The moment we arrived there was a high number of those injured. So, we transported two cases to the hospital and came back to evacuate more of the injured. Here was when the paramedics and Civil Defense teams arrived. After we transported another injured individual, we headed towards Al Shifa Hospital, as it was close to the area shelled, to provide first aid to the injured and to try and rescue them. We stayed in the hospital, ready for any emergency that may happen. There was huge crowd in the hospital, including civilians, injured people, and their families. We stayed in the ambulance because there were patients with critical injuries that required transportation to Turkish territories. An hour after the first bombing, a second attack happened and here the horrific massacre occurred. The missiles directly hit the hospital, the number of people was very large. The nurse that was with my ambulance was inside the emergency room in the hospital and I was outside the hospital. The rising smoke, shrapnel, and the sounds I began to hear sounded as if it was Youm Al Qiyamah. Most of the people present were killed or injured. We managed the situation and tried to rescue the injured and pull them out of the rubble. What I saw was very difficult. I saw a child in a wheelchair who died in the bombing, women, children, and young people, and ambulance teams and nurses and doctors. While working as an ambulance driver for two years now, these were the toughest moments I ever experienced.”

Ahmed Al Ibrahim, a volunteer in the Civil Defense who was wounded by the shelling, told the Syrian Archive team that the first attack was around six o’clock in the evening. He accompanied two of his colleagues, Ismail Naasan, division commander, and Zaher Hamsho, driver, in transferring the injured to Al Shifa Hospital and then Afrin Central Hospital. When they returned to Al Shifa Hospital, rockets hit the facility and he and his colleagues were injured.

In a recording sent to Syrian Archive, Abu Taym Al Halabi, a media activist who lives in Afrin and about 50 meters away from the hospital, said that seven to eight rockets hit the town in the first attack. He told Syrian Archive he inspected the impact site, determining that rockets fell between civilian homes and on farm land on Al Filat street. He said he photographed those injured at the site. About an hour later, when he was arriving back home, he heard shooting and loud explosions. When he went to the location of the explosions, he saw many injured people leaving the hospital. He helped them and saw significant destruction to the hospital. He said he saw at least six bodies in the area and that because the police were present he was afraid to document what he saw. Abu Taym told Syrian Archive that he took a picture from afar of a man next to his pregnant wife, who was killed in the attack, before the Civil Defense removed her from the hospital. He asked the captain present whether he was permitted to document what was happening. The captain allowed Abu Taym to take pictures. According to Abu Taym, the scene was tragic, “I saw body parts and corpses, severed hands and feet, dismembered bodies.” He added, “after a few minutes, a person who spoke Turkish stopped us and other journalists from filming.”

Qasioun News reported that “the authorities of the Turkish state of Hatay announced killing 13 civilians and injury 27 others as a result of the attack carried out by SDF.”

A tweet from @ahmadal_shame put the number of civilians killed in the strikes “at more than 18” and @SyrianCoalition tweeted that the number of people killed had risen to 19. A higher count was given by Step News, putting that the strikes “killed 23 people and injured more than 40 civilians and medical staff” and Al Modon reported that more than 50 civilians were injured. However, other sources gave lower estimates, with @SEMA_Org tweeting that “at least 6 civilian casualties were killed, and 15 were injured,” but this seems to be an early estimate.

Syrian Archive reported that Al Shifa Hospital is located on a block that includes military and government institutions, including the headquarters of the city police, the political security branch, and the court in Afrin.

Orient News provided information on the victims: “killing of at least seven people in the initial toll, including three women from the medical staff (a midwife and two nurses), a civil defense volunteer and two civilians, in addition to the injury of dozens, including three civil defense volunteers and a number of medical staff and civilians, especially women”. Enab Baladi gave information that of the seven killed, that included “four medical personnel and three members of the “Syrian Civil Defense” team” and Syrian Network for Human Rights identified one child and five women among those killed.

In addition, Orient identified Iran as responsible for the bombardment on the hospital and added that the bombing “originated from the Iranian “sectarian” militia points in the areas of Aleppo countryside”.

A tweet from @NagiNajjar blamed the strikes on the regime and Iran.

Various sources, including @itsnotsuhad and Syrian Civil Defense, attributed the strikes to the Syrian Democratic Forces and/or the PKK. Syrian Arab News Agency, the regime controlled news agency, reported that the civilian casualties resulted from “mutual shelling between the Turkish occupation forces and their terrorist mercenaries on the one hand, and the US occupation backed-QSD militants on  the other hand”.

However, Farhad Shami, Director of the Media Center of the Syrian Democratic Forces released a statement that “some media published incorrect news about the targeting of the city center of Afrin this evening and attributed it to our forces. We in the Syrian Democratic Forces confirm that we do not have any presence in those areas, and we call on all media outlets to adhere to credibility in publishing news related to our force”. The head of the SDF also denied that they were responsible, blaming Russia for the strikes.

Afrin Post reported that “Turkish soldiers in six military vehicles (with Turkish flags on them) had evacuated their military headquarters located in the building (formerly Ronahi Press) adjacent to Afrin Hospital (al-Shifaa now) just 4 minutes before the start of the missile shelling on the city, which indicates that they were on Aware of the missile targeting and its timing” and that Turkish forces prevented activists and media from entering the hospital following the strikes. In addition, “the missile shelling was launched from the outskirts of the towns of Nubl and al-Zahra, which are under the control of the Syrian regime army.”

A tweet from @maamo_walid provided an image of the “Krasnopol missiles that the Syrian regime bombed the city of Afrin are Russian laser-guided missiles that are precision-guided by reconnaissance”. Using the same image, @AKMcKeever referred to it as ” a 122mm BM-21 rocket (spring-loaded fins) taken ~175m from the site of the Afrin hospital”.

The US State Department issued a statement condemning the attack and pointed out that “this hospital’s coordinates have been shared with the UN deconfliction mechanism for Syria” but did not identify who was responsible. The World Health Organization also issued a condemnation of the attack and did not attribute responsibility.

The incident occured between 6:10 pm and 7:15 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Malak Othman Khalil
Adult female from the village of Konde Khalil killed
Mazkin Hassan Muhammad
39 years old female injured

Family members (2)

Zainab Sheikh Daoud زينب شيخ داؤد
21 years old female From Afrin killed
Yusuf Kilij Khushan يوسف قليج خوشان
2 years old male From Afrin killed

Family members (4)

Laith Al-Amiri Mustafa
4 years old male injured
Lian Mustafa Al-Amiri ليان مصطفى العميري
Age unknown female killed
Lana Mustafa Al-Amiri لانا مصطفى العميري
2 years old female killed
Layan Al-Amiri Mustafa
1.5 years old male injured

The victims were named as:

Zaloukh Hanan Muhammad زلوخ حنان محمد
85 years old female From Afrin killed
Muhammad Osama Mamdouh محمد اسامة ممدوح
33 years old male From Afrin killed
Dana Al-Manfoukh دانا المنفوخ
Age unknown female killed
Ghaith Abbas غيث عباس
23 years old male killed
Samira Al-Sufi سميرة السوفي
41 years old female From Damascus killed
Mahmoud Dias محمود دياس
35 years old male killed
Fadel Haj Ibrahim فضل حج ابراهيم
Age unknown male killed
Anwar Ahmed Daher انور احمد ضاهر
Age unknown male killed
Majed Kbeish ماجد كبيش
Age unknown male killed
Rana Fawzi Al-Manfoukh
Age unknown female wife of Mahmoud Khashan killed
Ismail Al-Naasan
Age unknown male Member of Syrian Civil Defense injured
Zaher Hamsho
Age unknown male Member of Syrian Civil Defense injured
Ahmed Ibrahim
Age unknown male Member of Syrian Civil Defense injured
Laith Al-Hamwi ليث الحموي
Age unknown male killed
Fatima Sager Ahmed
56 years old female injured
Ali Ali Mahmoud
21 years old male injured
Awfa Al-Nasir Muhammad
50 years old injured
Nidal Hajj Ibrahim
55 years old male injured
Nisreen Al-Aroor Abdul Karim
2 years old female injured
Aisha Kılıch Colin
56 years old male injured
Mohieddin Al-Zein
55 years old male injured
Muhammad Saleh
23 years old male injured
Douaa Kamel Saad Eddin
60 years old female injured
Abdullah Al-Abed
33 years old male injured
Iman, Ghadab Zakaria
5 years old female injured
Jalal Al-Qassab Omar
30 years old male injured
Iman al-Akhras Muhammad
22 years old female injured
Muhammad Qadriya
27 years old male injured
Muhammad Hamidi Attia
36 years old male injured
Qusay Muhammad Khalil
31 years old male injured
Muhammad Zaher Al-Sakka
41 years old male injured
Bilal Ramadan
29 years old male injured
Hossam Noureddine Farouk
37 years old male injured
Tariq Najm Muhammad Faisal
31 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    13 – 23
  • (1–3 children3–6 women9 men4 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–50
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Turkish Military, Syrian Democratic Forces, Iranian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (91) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (72) [ collapse]

  • Image of the destroyed al-Shifaa hospital in Afrin. According to the Syrian American Medical Society, "thirteen people have been killed. Tragically, of this number, two were hospital staff and two were ambulance drivers. Eleven staff were injured, including one midwife in critical condition."
  • Image of al-Shifaa hospital in Afrin, which was destroyed by missile and artillery strikes on June 12, 2021. "The authorities of the Turkish state of Hatay announced killing 13 civilians and injury 27 others as a result of the attack carried out by SDF." (Image posted by Qasioun)
  • According to @Marea_Elshame, the image shows a child who was paralyzed in a wheelchair and was killed in the strikes on Al-Shifaa hospital.
  • Amin Qusho, an anesthesiologist who was killed in the bombing of Al-Shifaa hospital in Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by @rahhalahmad06)
  • An ambulance destroyed by the bombardment of Al-Shifaa hospital on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by @SyrianCoalition)
  • Image of Amin Qushou. an anesthesiologist who was killed when Al-Shifaa hospital was bombed on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by @mahmoud_fsg)
  • Image of an unidentified victim who was killed when Al-Shifaa hospital was bombed on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by @mahmoud_fsg)
  • Image of Anwar Al-Zahir who was killed when Al-Shifaa hospital was bombed on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by @mahmoud_fsg)
  • Image of an Majed Kbeish, a published writer who was killed when Al-Shifaa hospital was bombed on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by @mahmoud_fsg)
  • Unidentified victims of the June 12th bombing of Al-Shifaa hospital in Afrin. (Image posted by @WM_FREESYR)
  • Unidentified victims of the June 12th bombing of Al-Shifaa hospital in Afrin. (Image posted by @WM_FREESYR)
  • Following the strikes on Al-Shifaa hospital, medical facilities were in need of blood donations to help those injured in the strikes. (Images posted by @WM_FREESYR)
  • Following the strikes on Al-Shifaa hospital, medical facilities were in need of blood donations to help those injured in the strikes. (Images posted by @WM_FREESYR)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image of an unidentified civilian who was injured in the bombing of Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by @Tb7FgaFJwxqQlKu)
  • Image of a car belonging to Anwar Al-Daher, an employee of the Shafak Organization that was trying to help the wounded when he was hit with another missile. (Image posted by @rame0alsayed)
  • Image of the destruction to the hospital and blood from the victims of the bombing on Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • A member of the Syrian Civil Defense searching through the rubble for survivors following the airstrikes on Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • A injured member of the Syrian Civil Defense being taken to a medical facility in an ambulance following the airstrikes on Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • A member of the Syrian Civil Defense helping an injured victim following the airstrikes on Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • A member of the Syrian Civil Defense searching through the rubble for survivors following the airstrikes on Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • Caption translation: Shahba Press reporter said that 19 people were killed, including 5 women, children and workers in humanitarian and medical organizations, and others were wounded - some of them in critical condition - as a result of the missile shelling by YPG militia on residential neighborhoods in the city of Afrin. (Image posted by Shahba Press)
  • Caption translation: Shahba Press reporter said that 19 people were killed, including 5 women, children and workers in humanitarian and medical organizations, and others were wounded - some of them in critical condition - as a result of the missile shelling by YPG militia on residential neighborhoods in the city of Afrin. (Image posted by Shahba Press)
  • An image posted by the Turkish Defense Ministry shows the damage caused by the airstrikes on Afrin of June 12, 2021. (Image posted by @tcsavunma)
  • Image of Mahmoud Dabbas Abu Khaled, who was killed in the bombing of Afrin on June 12, 2021.
  • Image of Anwar Al-Zahir and Majid Kubaish, members of Shafak Organization who died while performing their humanitarian duty to provide aid to the wounded following the bombing of the city of Afrin. (Image posted by Bonyan organization via Facebook)
  • Image of Ghaith Abbas, killed in airstrikes on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by Ahmad Khaled via Facebook)
  • An image of the damage caused by the airstrikes on Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • An image of damage to Al-Shifaa hospital following airstrikes on Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • An image of a White Helmet searching through the rubble of the hospital following airstrikes on Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • An image of a cleaning up following airstrikes on Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • An image of a wheelchair in the destroyed Al-Shifaa hospital, which suffered damage from airstrikes on Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • Mazkin Hassan Muhammad, from Alkana was injured, along with her mother who was killed, in the bombing of Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by Mustafa Sheikho via Facebook)
  • Malak Othman Khalil from the village of Konde Khalil was killed, along with her daughter who was injured, in the bombing of Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by Mustafa Sheikho via Facebook)
  • Image of mourners carrying the coffins of some of the victims killed in the bombing of Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Images posted by Euphrates Post)
  • Image of mourners praying over the coffins of some of the victims killed in the bombing of Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Images posted by Euphrates Post)
  • Image of mourners praying over the coffins of some of the victims killed in the bombing of Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Images posted by Euphrates Post)
  • Image of mourners praying over the coffins of some of the victims killed in the bombing of Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Images posted by Euphrates Post)
  • Image of mourners burying some of the victims killed in the bombing of Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Images posted by Euphrates Post)
  • Image of mourners carrying the coffins of some of the victims killed in the bombing of Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Images posted by Euphrates Post)
  • Image of mourners carrying the coffins of some of the victims killed in the bombing of Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Images posted by Euphrates Post)
  • Image of mourners carrying the coffins of some of the victims killed in the bombing of Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Images posted by Euphrates Post)
  • Image of a White Helmet and a civilian carrying the body of one of the victims of the bombing on Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by Al Araby)
  • Image of Zainab Sheikh Daoud, 21, and her two-year-old son, Yusef Khoshnav Kilij, who were killed in airstrikes on Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by Afrin Rights Watch)
  • Referred to by @maamo_walid as "he Krasnopol missiles that the Syrian regime bombed the city of Afrin are Russian laser-guided missiles that are precision-guided by reconnaissance" while @AKMcKeever referred to it as "a 122mm BM-21 rocket (spring-loaded fins)"
  • Image of the location struck by the bombing in Afrin on June 12, 2021. (Image posted by @AKMcKeever)
  • Referred to by @maamo_walid as "he Krasnopol missiles that the Syrian regime bombed the city of Afrin are Russian laser-guided missiles that are precision-guided by reconnaissance" while @AKMcKeever referred to it as "a 122mm BM-21 rocket (spring-loaded fins)"

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Al Shifa hospital (مشفى الشفاء) in Afrin (عفرين). According to research conducted by @AKMcKeever, the exact location of this strike is: 36.509587, 36.858479. Cross referencing evidence from audio-visual material from sources, we can confirm this location.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Syrian Democratic Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Iranian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    13 – 23
  • (1–3 children3–6 women9 men4 healthcare_personnel)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–50
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Turkish Military, Syrian Democratic Forces, Iranian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (91) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS482

Incident date

December 30, 2021

Location

زركان, Zarkan, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.846934, 40.331261 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Additional Geolocations

36.776363, 40.130898 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and five civilians, including up to two women and three children, were killed and up to 12 others, including women and children, were injured in alleged Turkish strikes on Zarkan ( Abu Rassein) on December 30, 2021.

According to the Hawar News Agency, three civilians, Jamala Musa Al-Nahar, Jawaher Musa Al-Nahar, and the two-year-old child Allam Ali Al-Issa, were killed and five others were injured in a Turkish bombing of Zarkan. Turkey Now put the number of injured at four.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Jamala and Jawaher were sisters and Allam was the two year old child of Jawaher. North Press Agency identified Jamala as being an employee in the municipality of Al-Asadiya village. All were killed in artillery and missile shelling and in addition to the injury of five civilians, two members of the Syrian Democratic Forces were injured. The shelling allegedly struck a mosque in the town of Zarkan as well.

RT identified the three people killed as being “a man, a woman and a child”, adding that the strikes resulted in “the collapse of part of the Great Mosque in the town, and damage to some houses and public and private properties”. A video posted by RT also shows the moment the strikes hit the mosque.

A Facebook post from “News of the eastern region and the island” (أخبار المنطقة الشرقية والجزيرة) added the names of two others killed as: Muhammad Issa Omar’s child and baby Aladdin Nasser, in addition to the name of a civilian injured: Muhammed Khalaf.

Kurdistan24 gave a similar death toll on the low end of reports, a woman and a child killed, but added that 12 others, including women and children, were injured. Following the strikes, there was a large displacement of citizens fleeing the area on foot or on motorbikes because they feared being targeted if they used cars.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Jawaher Musa Al-Nahar جواهر موسى النهار
female killed
Jamala Musa Al-Nahar جمالة موسى النهار
female killed
Allam Ali Al-Issa علام علي العيسى
2 years old killed

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Issa Omar's child
Child killed
Baby Aladdin Nasser
Child killed
Muhammed Khalaf
Age unknown injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (1–3 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–12
  • 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 injured
    2

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • One of the victims of alleged Turkish strikes on Zarkan December 30, 2021. (Image posted by News of the eastern region and the island)
  • Damage from alleged Turkish strikes on Zarkan December 30, 2021. (Image posted by North Press Agency)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention strikes on the Great Mosque (الجامع الكبير) in the town of Zarkan (زركان), and on the village of Al Asadiya (الاسدية). The generic coordinates for the mosque are: 36.846934, 40.331261. The generic coordinates for Al Asadiya are: 36.776363, 40.130898. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the locations further.

{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"Great Mosque \n الجامع الكبير","label-type":"black-white"},"geometry":{"type":"Point","coordinates":[40.331261,36.846934]}},{"type":"Feature","properties":{"label":"Al Asadiya \n الاسدية","label-type":"black-white"},"geometry":{"type":"Point","coordinates":[40.130898,36.776363]}}]}

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (1–3 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–12
  • 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 injured
    2

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI079

Incident date

May 21, 2022

Location

مەخموور, Makhmur, Nineveh, Iraq

Geolocation

35.75382, 43.605244 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian was killed and seven others were injured in alleged Turkish drone strikes on Makhmur refugee camp on May 21, 2022. In addition, one to two alleged members of the PKK were killed in the same incident.

Camp director Nechirvan Mahmoud told AFP that a suspected Turkish drone struck a vehicle in Makhmur refugee camp, killing a resident.

According to @SweeneySteve, at least seven people were injured in the strikes on Makhmour refugee camp. @dersi4m reported that a young man named Haci Mirza Ali who was injured in the same strikes died from his injuries the following day.

BasNews reported that according to a Turkish security source, the person killed was a senior commander of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) named Mehmet Erdogan, codenamed Ahmet Rubar. “The source added that Rubar had directed and overseen the PKK operations in the northern areas of Makhmur, Sulaymaniyah, and Kirkuk since 2021. He used a fake ID card under the name Haji Mirza Ali, the source revealed.” Overall, BasNews identified “several people” as being killed and injured.

A tweet from @nicolas62574020 added that Turkey’s national intelligence organization accused Erdogan of “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order and violating Turkey’s territorial integrity” after joining the PKK in 1990. @SardarSattar added that “several PKK members” were killed in a PKK vehicle.

In contrast to reporting that those killed were militants, Media News reported that the vehicle struck belonged to the civilian and none of the sources specifically refer to Haci Mirza Ali as being a member of the PKK.

The New Arab pointed out that Makhmur refugee camp hosts more than 12,000 Kurdish refugees and that the camp is being sponsored by the United Nations.

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), one of the two major political parties in the KRI, released a statement condemning the drone strike: “We call on the Iraqi government to fulfil its constitutional and national obligation to protect Iraqi soil and air space, including the KRI. The Iraqi government should approach the Turkish government about these violations through diplomatic channels. The KRI administration should summon Turkey’s ambassador and communicate to him its discontent with these attacks. There can be no excuse for border violations of this nature, resulting in civilian deaths and injuries.”

All of the sources that report on the incident attributed the drone strikes to Turkey.

The incident occured at approximately 12:00 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Haci Mirza Ali
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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
    1–2

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Mehmet Erdogan, who was killed in alleged Turkish drone strikes on Makhmur camp on May 21, 2022. (Image posted by BasNews)
  • Mehmet Erdogan, who was killed in alleged Turkish drone strikes on Makhmur camp on May 21, 2022. Turkey has accused Erdogan of being a member of the PKK. (Image posted by @nicolas62574020)
  • Truck hit by alleged Turkish drone strikes on Makhmur camp on May 21, 2022. (Image posted by @nicolas62574020)
  • Truck hit by alleged Turkish drone strikes on Makhmur camp on May 21, 2022. (Image posted by @nicolas62574020)
  • Residents of Makhmur camp surround the truck hit by alleged Turkish drone strikes on May 21, 2022. (Image posted by @dersi4m)

Geolocation notes (3) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention a vehicle being struck in Makhmur (مەخموور) refugee camp. Analysing audio-visual material from sources, we have narrowed down the exact location of the strike to these coordinates: 35.75382, 43.605244.

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  • Imagery:
    Medya News

  • Imagery:
    Medya News

  • Imagery:
    Medya 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
    0 – 1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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
    1–2

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS530

Incident date

July 24, 2022

Location

الاسدية, Al Asadiya, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.776363, 40.130898 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians, including two children and their father, were injured in alleged Turkish shelling of al-Asadiya village in Zarkan district on July 24, 2022.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the bombardment resulted in the injury of eight civilians, including a woman and two children, in the area from Abu Rasin (Zarkan) to Tel Tamr countryside. However, the source did not specify whether the injuries occurred in in Tel Tamr or Zarkan district.

A Facebook post by Dijla-Syrian desert provided the names of four people injured: Mohammed Muayyad Abdullah (7 years), Tayseer Muayyad Abdullah (5 years), the father Muayyad Abdullah (32 years), and Muhammad Qasim (20 years).

A military source told North Press that one of Syrian army soldiers lost his life due to the Turkish shelling on al-Asadiya and a medical source in Martyr Khabat Hospital in Derbasiyah told North Press that four wounded people including two children reached the hospital due to the Turkish shelling.

Hawar News reported that “a member of the Damascus government forces was killed and 4 others, including 2 children and their father, were wounded in Zarghan district.”

North Press Agency identified the villages of Qabr al-Khedrawi, Tel Hermel, al-Asadiya, Mushairfa Zarkan, Tel al-Amir, Bsais and Harmallah as being shelled by Turkish forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Mohammed Muayyad Abdullah محمد مؤيد عبد الله
7 years old injured
Tayseer Muayyad Abdullah تيسير مؤيد عبد االله
5 years old injured
Muayyad Abdullah مؤيد عبد الله
32 years old male injured

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Qasim محمد قاسم
20 years old injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish shelling of the villages of Zarkan on July 24, 2022. (Image posted by Dijla-Syrian desert via Facebook)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention strikes on the village of Al Asadiya (الاسدية), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.776363, 40.130898. 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
    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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS561

Incident date

October 14, 2022

Location

الفكة, Al Fakkah, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.728188, 40.399893 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two farmers were injured when alleged Turkish artillery shells struck their agricultural land in the village of Al-Fakkah on October 14, 2022.

Hawar News reported that two farmers were wounded when Turkish forces bombed the village of Al-Fakkah, north of Tal Tamer District. Local residents told Hawar the the two injured civilians, Dhiyab Khalaf al-Darwish (40 years old) and Hajj Yassin al-Darwish (40 years old), were injured while working on their agricultural land and were transferred to Al-Shahida Lycrin Hospital for treatment.

Lou’i Bakr, a director of a hospital in Tel Tamr, told North Press that the Turkish forces targeted with several shells the village of Al-Fakkah, resulting in the injury of two farmers on their land. At the time of the reporting, the condition of the wounded civilians was not known yet.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Dijla-Syrian desert also reported that two civilians were wounded by Turkish forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Dhiyab Khalaf al-Darwish
40 years old injured
Hajj Yassin al-Darwish
40 years old injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • 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

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Fakkah (الفكة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.728188, 40.399893. 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 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

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS590

Incident date

March 20, 2023

Location

جنديرس, Jindires, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.415093, 36.700472 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four men from the same family were killed and three others, including a child with special needs, were injured when Turkish mercenaries alleged shot them during Newroz celebrations in Jandrisa district on March 20, 2023.

Local sources told Hawar News that the mercenaries of Ahrar al-Sharqiya opened fire on civilians in Jandrisa district while they were lighting a Newroz fire on the roof of their house, killed four people from one family and injuring three others.

Hawar News published the names of the civilians killed: Farah al-Din Othman (43 years old) – Muhammad Muhammad Othman (38 years old) – Muhammad Ismail Othman (18 years old) – Nazmi Muhammad Othman (53 years old). The three older family members killed were brothers, and the youngest was a son/nephew. Afrin News added that the minor Firas Abdo Khalil, 14 years old with special needs, was also injured in the shooting.

The Syrian Democratic Council identified the victims as a Kurdish family living in a refugee tent because they were displaced by the February 6th earthquake.

Ms. Rosheen Othman, the sister of the three brothers who were killed and the mother of the younger man killed, told the Syrian Democratic Council that she was hiding inside the tent during the attack with her son and she tried to prevent her son from exiting the tent, but he wanted to help his father and other relatives. He ran out and was shot in the heart, and died instantly.

Afrin News detailed that “Nazmi” was sitting outside near the fire when he was first assaulted and threatened, then machine gunned heavily until the rest of his family came out to help and they were hit in the chest and stomach, each victim sustaining 10-15 bullet wounds.

According to private sources who spoke to Hawar News, the injured and killed civilians were transferred to the “military hospital” in Afrin but the hospital refused to treat the injured so they were transferred to a hospital in the town of Atmeh, which is under the occupation of “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham.”

Hawar News reported that following the massacre against the family, demonstrations against the Turkish military and its mercenary groups occurred in Afrin and the surrounding villages, with the protestors refusing to hold a funeral until the perpetrators of the massacre were held accountable. The “Military Police” announced that they had arrested the perpetrator – “Hassan al-Daba'”, the leader of the “Ahrar al-Sharqiya” mercenaries – however Hawar News speculated that Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham was also involved. Afrin News named the perpetrators as “Omar Saleh Al-Asmar, born in 2000 AD, Habib Ali Khalaf, born in 2004 AD, Bilal Ahmed Al-Aboud, born in 2000 AD) with direct support and attribution from the so-called “Ali Khalaf / Abu Habib Khasham.”

The Syrian Democratic Council also documented connection between the mercenary group and Turkish forces, stating that “Jaish al-Sharqiya is one of main Turkish-backed terrorist groups controlling the Syrian district of Afrin…These militants benefit from training and equipment provided by the Turkish government. The militants are given money, weapons, and the authority to conduct activities by Turkish officials.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Farah al-Din Othman
43 years old male killed
Muhammad Muhammad Othman
38 years old male killed
Muhammad Ismail Othman
18 years old male killed
Nazmi Muhammad Othman
42 years old male killed

The victims were named as:

Firas Abdo Khalil
14 years old injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of the victims of a shooting allegedly carried out by Turkish mercenaries near Afrin on March 20, 2023. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • The victims of a shooting allegedly carried out by Turkish mercenaries near Afrin on March 20, 2023. (Image posted by Hawar News)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Jindires (جنديرس) subdistrict, the generic coordinates for which are: 36.415093, 36.700472. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Small arms and light weapons
  • 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]