Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

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

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

Incident date

August 24, 2023

Incident Code

TI095

LOCATION

قرية ميرغمير, village of Mergmir, Erbil, Iraq

On the 24th of August 2023, a drone strike is believed to have killed either four civilians or four PKK fighters, two of them in medical roles, in the village of Merg Mir in the Bradost region in Erbil Governorate. According to several news sources, including Roj News, Hawar News Agency and Kurdistan 24, the

Summary

First published
August 24, 2023
Last updated
September 11, 2023
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Civilian infrastructure
Agriculture
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
0 – 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 belligerent
Turkish Military
Suspected target
YPG/SDF
Belligerents reported killed
0–4
View Incident

Incident date

August 17, 2021

Incident Code

TI065

LOCATION

قرية سكينة, Medical center in the village of Sakina, Nineveh, Iraq

At least eight people were killed, including four members of the medical staff at a hospital and four fighters of the Sinjar Resistance Units who were receiving treatment at  a hospital, and four others were injured in alleged Turkish strikes on Al-Askiniyah Hospital in the village of Sakina in Sinjar district on August 17, 2021.

Summary

First published
August 17, 2021
Last updated
September 6, 2022
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
4
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 belligerent
Turkish Military
Suspected target
Iraqi militias (PMUs)
Named victims
8 named
View Incident

Incident date

June 17, 2022

Incident Code

TI084

LOCATION

كيسته, Kesta, Duhok, Iraq

Two women were injured in alleged Turkish artillery shelling and/or heavy machine gun fire on Kesta village in Kani Massi district on June 17, 2022 Shafaq News reported that Turkish forces launched artillery against Kesta Village, north of Duhok, which resulted in the injury of two women. Omed Kestayi, chieftain (mukhtar) of Kesta village in

Summary

First published
June 17, 2022
Last updated
July 28, 2022
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Artillery, Ground operation
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, 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 belligerent
Turkish Military
Named victims
2 named
View Incident

Incident date

July 25, 2015

Incident Code

TI001

LOCATION

العمادية, Amadiyah, Duhok, Iraq

Three civilians were reportedly injured in alleged Turkish airstrikes on Amadiyah, Iraq. Iraqhurr reported intensive bombing on PKK positions in the area and said that it “led to the wounding of three civilians.” Sputnik News also reported Turkish airstrikes in the area but did not mention civilian harm. No additional details are presently known regarding

Summary

First published
July 25, 2015
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
Civilians reported injured
3
Airwars civilian harm grading
Weak
Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
Suspected belligerent
Unknown
View Incident

Incident date

December 28, 2023

Incident Code

TI101

LOCATION

قرية كاركي, Karki, Sinjar District, Nineveh, Iraq

Between 6 and 8 PM on Thursday, December 28th, 2023, at least five people were killed and two others injured after an alleged Turkish drone strike on the village of Karki in the Sinjar district of Mosul province. The civilian status of five of the men killed is contested within the sources. Those killed were

Summary

First published
December 28, 2023
Last updated
February 22, 2024
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Civilian infrastructure
Water station
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
3 – 8
(0–5 men)
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.
Impact
Food
Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
Suspected belligerent
Turkish Military
Suspected target
YPG/SDF
Belligerents reported killed
0–5
View Incident

Incident date

August 20, 2021

Incident Code

TI066 YI001

LOCATION

بنكي, Banke village, Duhok, Iraq

Two Iraqi tourists were killed in an alleged Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) IED or Turkish air or artillery strike near the village of Banke, Batifa sub-district on August 20th, 2021, according to local sources. Their bodies were missing until Kurdish and Iraqi security forces found them on August 22nd. The security source told Shafaq News

Summary

First published
August 20, 2021
Last updated
August 23, 2022
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
2
(2 men)
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 belligerents
Turkish Military, YPG
Suspected target
Other
Named victims
2 named
View Incident

Incident date

July 20, 2022

Incident Code

TI086

LOCATION

برخ, Parkh, Duhok, Iraq

Between eight and 10 civilians, including three children, were killed and up to 45 others, including four women and two children, were injured in alleged Turkish bombing of the village of Parkh on July 20, 2022. According to BasNews, five tourists were killed and 15 others were injured by Turkish shelling of a summer resort

Summary

First published
July 20, 2022
Last updated
August 2, 2022
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
8 – 10
(3 children4 men)
Civilians reported injured
20–45
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 belligerent
Turkish Military
Named victims
16 named, 3 families identified
View Incident

Incident date

August 1, 2015

Incident Code

TI002

LOCATION

زرجيلي, Zergele, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

Multiple Turkish airstrikes reportedly killed eight or more residents and injured at least eight others – including a child – in an attack on the village of Zergele in the Kandil Mountains. Alusmaria reported: “Turkish planes today bombed the village of Zergele north of the border, killing eight civilians, wounding ten others and destroying seven

Summary

First published
August 1, 2015
Last updated
January 18, 2022
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
8 – 10
(1 child2 women5–7 men)
Civilians reported injured
8–11
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 belligerent
Unknown
Named victims
14 named, 2 families identified
View Incident

Incident date

December 5, 2023

Incident Code

TI100

LOCATION

بامرني, Bamerni, Amedi District, Duhok, Iraq

At around 7AM on Tuesday, December 5th, 2023, a man was killed and up to three others injured after an alleged Turkish bombardment in the Bamerni subdistrict of Amedi, in Dohuk Governorate. Gulan Media named the deceased as 44-year-old Ali Jamil Kalash, the father of four children. Kalash was near his home when he died:

Summary

First published
December 5, 2023
Last updated
March 1, 2024
Strike status
Likely strike
Strike type
Airstrike
Civilian infrastructure
Agriculture, Water station
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
0 – 1
(0–1 men)
Civilians reported injured
1–3
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Airwars civilian harm grading
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Impact
Food
Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
Suspected belligerent
Turkish Military
Suspected target
YPG/SDF
Named victims
2 named
Belligerents reported killed
0–1
View Incident