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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Turkish Military
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Incident Code

TS619

Incident date

July 31, 2023

Location

قرية كالوتة, Kalota village, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

On July 31st, 2023 Turkish forces allegedly shelled several villages in the Sherawa district, injuring a child and an elderly woman in Kalota village. Both were brought to a nearby medical checkpoint. According to the news outlet NPN, at the time of reporting, their condition was unstable.

Local sources Hawar News, ANF, and multiple other sources reported that a woman and a child were injured by Turkish shelling. No other details were available about the civilian victims.

The North Press Agency pointed out that the district of Sherawa houses Kurdish IDPs from the city of Afrin, located nearby, who were displaced by Turkish forces and affiliated forces. All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the shelling to Turkish forces.

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
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A child and an elderly woman were injured by alleged Turkish shelling of Kalota village on July 31, 2023. (Image posed 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
    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
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS656

Incident date

October 30, 2023

Location

التوخار, Tokhar village, northern countryside of Manbij, Aleppo countryside, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

On Monday, October 30, 2023, an alleged strike by a Turkish military drone reportedly injured a civilian in the village of Tokhar, in the northern countryside of Manbij, close to Aleppo. According to the North Press Agency, the civilian injured in the attack is a 40-year-old man called Saleh Al-Jassem.

The incident was initially reported via a Facebook post by the Media Center of the Manbij Military Council. Details about the severity of Saleh Al-Jassem’s injuries or material damage have not been reported at the time of writing.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to the Turkish military.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Saleh Al-Jassem. صالح الجاسم
40 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

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: 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

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS077

Incident date

February 7, 2017

Location

شيا عفرين, Shya, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

In a private report, the Kurdish Red Crescent named the following one civilian as wounded in an alleged Turkish shelling of Shya, Syria:

‘Hassan Suleiman Omar, 60, a shrapnel in the eye’

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.

Sources (1) [ collapse]

    • English
    • English

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Shya, Afrin (شيا عفرين), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.496944, 36.598333. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.

Sources (1) [ collapse]

    • English
    • English

Incident Code

TS224

Incident date

February 23, 2018

Location

قسطل جاندو, Qastal Jando, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.630278, 37.017222 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media named two boys as wounded in an alleged Turkish shelling of Qastal Jando, Syria. However, these two boys were also named as wounded in event 107 at Kotana.

There is, therefore, currently confusion over the location in which the boys were wounded.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ali Muhammad Hassan
16 years old injured
Rashid Mustafa Rasho
15 years old injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Rashid Mustafa, injured in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Qastal Jando, 23rd February 2018. (via Rumaf)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Qastal Jando (قسطل جاندو), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.630278, 37.017222. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS256

Incident date

March 7, 2018

Location

ميدانكي,عفرين, Medankii district, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.6425, 36.881389 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to several local reports, at least five civilians were wounded followed an alleged Turkish airstrike on the Medankii district in Afrin, Syria.

Many media outlet posted picture and videos that reveal the civilians injured being treated at the medical centre following the incident.

Multiple sources have published the name and age of the victims.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Nairouz Nuri Rashouh
37 years old female Via Afrin now facebook post injured
Dilshan Hassan Hamou
20 years old Via Afrin now facebook post injured
Mohammed Mustafa Sido
22 years old male Via Afrin now facebook post injured
Khadija Mohammed Abdo
45 years old female Via Afrin now facebook post injured
Ezzat Mustafa
80 years old Via Afrin now facebook post injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows an injured woman following alleged Turkish shelling on the Medankii district in Afrin, 7th March 2018. (via: Ekrem Berekat)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A video reveals several civilians being treated at the medical centre following an alleged Turkish shelling on the Medankii district in Afrin, 7th March 2018. (via: Hawar)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows a man, injured in his head after the alleged Turkish shelling on the Medankii district in Afrin, 7th March 2018. (via: Hawar)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image displays a woman, wounded after the alleged Turkish shelling on the Medankii district in Afrin, 7th March 2018. (via: Hawar)
  • A list names showing the injured. (via Hawar)
  • An image shows an old man, injured after the alleged Turkish shelling on the Medankii district in Afrin, 7th March 2018 (via: Afrin Now)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the subdistrict of Medankii district, Afrin (ميدانكي,عفرين), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.6425, 36.881389. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS093

Incident date

September 1, 2017

Location

كفر لوسين, Kafr Luseen, Turkish-Syrian borders, Syria

Geolocation

36.256667, 36.716111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source, the Step News Agency, reported that “a child was wounded by bullets fired by the Turkish army is in the camp of Zahra_Gulf in the area of Kafr Luseen on the border with Turkey and was transferred to a nearby hospital.”

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kafr Luseen, Turkish-Syrian borders ( كفر لوسين), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.256667, 36.716111. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS292

Incident date

October 9, 2019

Location

Mishrafa village, Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.804224, 40.108060 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In the first civilian casualty incident for “Operation Peace Spring” – Turkey’s offensive on Kurdish-led militias in northeast Syria – one or two civilians were killed and a further two injured in Mishrafa village, according to various sources on the ground.

All known sources attributed responsibility to Turkish airstrikes and reported that two civilians were killed.

The CEO of DeirEzzor24, Omar Abu Layla, tweeted that the two young men who had been killed in the strikes were from the Tal Diab village.

Mishrafa village is to the west of Ras al Ayn, a city that thousands of civilians were reportedly fleeing when “indiscriminate artillery and air bombardment” from Turkey began.

By 18:25 local time, the Coordination and Military Ops Centre of the SDF tweeted that Mishrafa had been emptied of civilians following the strikes.

Turkey’s long-planned offensive on the northeast began as US troops pulled back from the border areas earlier this week, after President Trump gave the green light for the Turkish invasion in an unexpected announcement on Sunday evening.

The incident occured at approximately 6:00 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Basel Moudar Al Hamdal
20 years old male injured
Basel Matar Mohammad
19 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (2 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.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • 9th to 13th of october docx

    Kurdish Red Crescent list of casualties between 9 and 13 October 2019

  • A wounded civilian following an alleged Turkish strike on Mishrafa Village, Oct 9th (via Rudaw)
  • A civilian (right), reportedly wounded in an alleged Turkish strike on Mishrafa Village, Oct 9th (via Rudaw)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Mishrafa village, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.804224, 40.108060. 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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (2 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.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS326

Incident date

October 12, 2019

Location

تل أبيض, Tal Abyad, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.690203, 38.947563 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One child, Mukhtar Mahmoud Allawi (seven-years-old) was injured in alleged Turkish shelling of Tal Abyad, according to local media.

@Raqqa_SL said the little boy was “burned”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mukhtar Mahmoud Allawi
Child male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Tal Abyad (تل أبيض), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.690203, 38.947563. 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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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]