Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

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

Incident Code

KS004

Incident date

August 15, 2023

Location

Bandar Jadiid and Fanoole villages in the town of Jilib, Middle Jubba, Somalia

Airwars assessment

Four civilians, three women and a child, were killed and four other civilians, one woman and three children, were injured by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023.

Somali journalist Mahamuud Hassan (@xuquuqda1) reported that Kenyan airstrikes on Bandar Jadiid and Fanoole villages in the town of Jilib resulted in the death of three women and a child, and the injury of four other civilians. Mahamuud added that the airstrike hit a civilian area in the center of the town, and that hundreds of civilians gathered in the city center the following day to denounce the strikes.

Mepa News also reported civilian casualties from a Kenyan strike, providing details that Kenyan airstrike during the night against the city of Jilib resulted in the death of four civilians, all women and children, and the injury of four civilians, one woman and three children. Homes and a center where civilians injured in previous attacks were treated were bombed.

No other information is available at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (1 child3 women)
  • 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
    Kenyan Defense Forces

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (16) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by @xuquuqda1)
  • Damage caused by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by @xuquuqda1)
  • Damage caused by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by @xuquuqda1)
  • Damage caused by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by @xuquuqda1)
  • Damage caused by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by @xuquuqda1)
  • Damage caused by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by @xuquuqda1)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian injured by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by @xuquuqda1)
  • Civilian injured by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by @xuquuqda1)
  • Damage caused by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by @xuquuqda1)
  • Damage caused by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by @xuquuqda1)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian injured by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by @xuquuqda1)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian injured by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by @xuquuqda1)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian injured by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by @xuquuqda1)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian injured by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by @xuquuqda1)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian injured by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by @xuquuqda1)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Damage and injuries caused by alleged Kenyan airstrikes on Jilib on August 15, 2023. (Image posted by Mepa News)

Kenyan Defense Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Kenyan Defense Forces
  • Kenyan Defense Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (1 child3 women)
  • 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
    Kenyan Defense Forces

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI094

Incident date

August 11, 2023

Location

بنجوين, Penjwin district, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

Airwars assessment

On August 11, 2023, three civilians, including at least one woman (who may have been under 18), were reportedly killed after being struck by a Turkish drone in the Penjwin district of Sulaymaniyah governorate. According to media coverage of this event, the victims were killed while driving towards the Iranian border.

In its coverage of this event, Roj News identified the victims, stating, “The sources stated that the names of the three citizens who lost their lives are Hassan Ahmed, his wife and daughter.” as well as identifying the victims as being from Mosul in Dohuk Governorate, including one of the victims who was an employee of Assil Company. Other local sources refer to the company as being called Asiacell and quoted the director of the Asiacell office in Dohuk, Bassam Sayed, who said that Hassan Ahmed has worked as an engineer for them since 2021.

Asiacell released a statement to Shafaq News that: “The victim’s name is (Hassan Ahmed Kashmoula), of Arab nationalism, and he is from Mosul. He came to visit his daughter at the Bashmakh border crossing, where she was a student at the Faculty of Medicine at Sanandaj University in Iran, and he intended to return her to Mosul and the other two who were inside the car.” They (his son and daughter) are called (Ziyad Mustafa Khader), and they are from the Rashidiya neighborhood in Mosul, and the girl was born in 2006, and they came for the same purpose.”

While Rudaw’s account differed in that it states Ahmed’s friend was killed, rather than wife, it provided more context, reportedly quoting Nizar Ahmed Kashmoula, the brother of one of the victims, who “indicated that they were heading to the Iranian border to receive their cousin and the son of his brother’s friend, who are studying together at the Faculty of Engineering.” Rudaw identified the victims as Hassan Ahmed, “Ziyad Mustafa, a friend of Hassan Ahmed,” and Rayan Ziyad Mustafa, a student at the Faculty of Medicine.”

Following this incident, outlets including ANF Arabic and Rudaw published images that purportedly show the damage to the car occupied by the affected civilians. In these images, the vehicle is heavily damaged and on fire, positioned on the side of a road.  Rudaw also identified the vehicle as being a white Toyota Corolla.

Rudaw noted that the Turkish Anti-Terrorism Service claimed to have targeted two vehicles operated by militants affiliated with the PKK on the same day. While neither statement can be matched with certainty to this specific incident, Rudaw reports that the organization reported the day’s events in the following terms: “The Anti-Terrorism Service said: “A Turkish drone targeted a car belonging to the PKK, near the village of Kalala” in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, which resulted in “the death of a PKK intelligence official and the wounding of two others.” He added that another attack by a Turkish drone targeted “a car of PKK members near the village of Qala in the Khalkan region,” also in Sulaymaniyah, which led to the death of “a PKK member and the injury of two others.” The director of Nalbariz district in Penjween district in Sulaymaniyah governorate, Hemin Ibrahim, told Rudaw that he was confident that the bombing was carried out by a drone because of the holes left on the street.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

  • Vehicle struck by alleged Turkish drone strikes in Sulaymaniyah on August 11, 2023. (Image posted by Roj News)
  • Vehicle struck by alleged Turkish drone strikes in Sulaymaniyah on August 11, 2023. (Image posted by Rudaw 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
    3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • 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

YS168

Incident date

August 9, 2023

Location

مخيم كويت الرحمة, Kuwait Al Rahma camp, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

On the evening of Wednesday 9 August, 2023, one civilian was reportedly killed and five to seven others, including three children and a woman, were injured by a missile strike on the Kuwait Al Rahma camp for displaced persons in Jabal Teranda, Afrin. The strike reportedly came from areas controlled by the regime forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces.

The father of Syrian Civil Defense volunteer Muhamad Tabakh died as a result of his injuries, and Muhamad’s wife and daughter Celine suffered serious injuries and underwent surgery. Celine and her family were reportedly displaced from the countryside of Idlib. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the civilian death and that seven others were injured to varying degrees from the shelling.

Both sources attributed the shelling to areas controlled by the Syrian Defense Forces and the Syrian regime without specifying who was responsible.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Strike target
    IDP or refugee camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–7
  • 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
    Syrian Democratic Forces, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A child injured by alleged SDF/Syrian regime shelling of Kuwait Al Rahma camp on August 9, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Damage caused by alleged SDF/Syrian regime shelling of Kuwait Al Rahma camp on August 9, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Damage caused by alleged SDF/Syrian regime shelling of Kuwait Al Rahma camp on August 9, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • A child injured by alleged SDF/Syrian regime shelling of Kuwait Al Rahma camp on August 9, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • The effects of the destruction caused by the missile strikes from the joint areas of the regime and the Syrian Democratic forces on the Kuyet al-Rahma camp in the countryside of Afrin, north of #Aleppo, which killed a man and injured 5 civilians, including 3 children and a woman, some of whom were seriously injured.
  • Damage caused by alleged SDF/Syrian regime shelling of Kuwait Al Rahma camp on August 9, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Damage caused by alleged SDF/Syrian regime shelling of Kuwait Al Rahma camp on August 9, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)

Syrian Democratic Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Syrian Democratic Forces 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
    Artillery
  • Strike target
    IDP or refugee camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–7
  • 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
    Syrian Democratic Forces, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4538

Incident date

August 9, 2023

Location

تديل, Tadel, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

On August 9th 2023, a civilian was killed and at least one other civilian, a child, was slightly injured, as a result of artillery shelling by Syrian regime and/or Russia forces on the village of Tadel, west of Aleppo.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that an elderly civilian was killed and a child and a young man were injured, and the injured were taken to the hospital for treatment. Local sources including the Syrian Human Rights Committee and tweets from @spc_fr and @Najdat567 identified the person killed as civilian youth/young man Khaled Abdel Qadir. NPA also reported that Khaled Abdel Qadir had been killed, but stated that he was 54 years old. @SyriaCivilDefe and Orient news did not identify the civilian, but reported that an elderly civilian had been killed.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, multiple shells hit the village of Tadel, including one that landed in the middle of the village and caused the civilian casualties.

Sources were conflicted as to who was responsible, with the Syrian Civil Defense (@SyriaCivilDefe) blaming both the Syrian regime and Russia while NPA attributed the shelling to the Syrian regime only, specifically pointing to regime forces stationed in the 46th Regiment while Anadolu News assigned responsibility to regime forces stationed in the village of Kafr Halab.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

  • Khaled Abdel Qadir Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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 attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Civil Defense volunteers respond to alleged Russian and Syrian regime forces on Tadel on August 9, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Civil Defense volunteers respond to alleged Russian and Syrian regime forces on Tadel on August 9, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Civil Defense volunteers respond to alleged Russian and Syrian regime forces on Tadel on August 9, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian and Syrian regime forces on Tadel on August 9, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Remnants of a shell allegedly launched by Russian and/or Syrian regime forces on August 9, 2023. (Image posted by @Ahmad_1alshble)
  • Alleged Russian and Syrian regime forces on Tadel on August 9, 2023. (Image posted by @syrianewsag)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian and Syrian regime forces on Tadel on August 9, 2023. (Image posted by Adnan Al Imam via Facebook)

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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 attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS622

Incident date

August 9, 2023

Location

قرية ام الكيف, village of Um al-Kaif, Al-Hasakah, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian was wounded by a mortar strike suspected to have been carried out by the Turkish armed forces on the village of Um al-Kaif in the Tal Tamr countryside on August 9, 2023.

Hawar News reported that Daham Ahmed Muhammad, aged 26, was wounded by shrapnel and taken to Martyr Likrin Hospital to receive treatment. An image shared by Hawar News shows him in hospital with a large medical dressing to the lower left of his back.

NPA reported that six mortar shells struck the village of Um al-Kaif, resulting in the injury of two people.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the shelling to Turkish forces.

The incident occured in the morning.

  • Daham Ahmed Muhammad 26 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Daham Ahmed Muhammad, injured by alleged Turkish shelling on August 6, 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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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

TS621

Incident date

August 8, 2023

Location

قرية الشركة, Al-Shirka village, Raqqa, Syria

Airwars assessment

On 8 August 2023, a woman and two children were killed, and three others, two children and their mother, all from the same family, were reportedly injured by Turkish shelling on their house in the village of Al-Shirka located in the eastern countryside of Ain Issa.

According to ANF, 60 year-old grandmother Doza, 10 year old Heba and 3 year-old Abdullah from the Ismail al–Hadi al-Khalawi family were killed. Whilst, 12-year old Malak, 5 year-old Tahani and their mother 25 year-old Haya Omar were reportedly transferred to hospitals in Raqqa with injuries.

Hawar News added that the bombardment occurred in the village of Al-Shirka south of the M4 international road.

This version of events was reported by a series of sources including the Fox Press, the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, Hawarnews and local facebook posts, all conforming to the narrative provided by ANF.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • 3 citizens were killed and 3 others from one family were wounded; as a result of the Turkish bombardment of their village, Al-Shirka, in the eastern countryside of Ain Issa.
  • Blood from the victims of the alleged Turkish shelling on August 8, 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
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI093

Incident date

August 6, 2023

Location

جمانكي, Jamanki area, Dohuk, Iraq

Airwars assessment

On August 6th, 2023, an alleged Turkish airstrike or drone strike in Jamanki, Dohuk governorate struck a car and killed a civilian named Alain Ismail and seriously injured a civilian named Hashem Shaker.

According to Altaakhi and Kurdistan 24 reports, Alain Ismail had been married five months before he tragically passed away. Further information about Alain Ismail and Hashem Shaker cannot be found within the sources. The Jamanki area where the strike took place is a well known summer resort area, and on a major road connecting districts within the governorate. Roj News, Attakhi, Kurdistan 24, and the Baghdad Times all allege that a Turkish aircraft was responsible, although Ankara has not taken responsibility for the strike or the civilian casualties.

The incident occured in the evening.

  • Alain Ismail Age unknown killed
  • Hashem Shaker Age unknown injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

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
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI092

Incident date

August 6, 2023

Location

قرية جنارتوي, Gnartuy Village, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

Airwars assessment

On August 6th, 2023, an alleged Turkish drone strike hit Gnartuy village in Suliemaniah province, Iraq; according to Shafaq News, the strike killed one civilian and injured another, while Alaraby and Roj News reported that the strike injured two civilians.

Alaraby reported that one civilian was from Halabja and that another held Syrian Kurdish nationality, although information on the names or other information about those alleged wounded or killed cannot be found within the sources. The drone strike hit a civilian vehicle (a jeep) travelling between the Dukan and Khalkan district, and caused a fire to break out at the scene in addition to harming people.

Alaraby, speaking to security forces, reported that the drone’s provenance is unknown although a Kurdish security officer stated an investigation is underway, while both Shafaq News and Roj News alleged that the strike was Turkish. The Kurdish security officer stressed the strike “was not random, but targeted the vehicle specifically and not others” when speaking to Alaraby.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

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
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]