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 Code

TI024

Incident date

June 27, 2019

Location

سنكاسار, Sangasar, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

Geolocation

36.247996, 45.018967 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three or four civilians of the same family were reportedly killed by an alleged Turkish airstrike on a civilian car on Berker near Sangasar on June 27th, 2019, according to local sources.

According to ANF, “Three civilians, including children and women, lost their lives and 5 civilians were injured in the attack. Among those who lost their lives are a woman and a 4-year-old child.”

Rudaw said that “four people from one family were killed on Thursday, June 27, 2019, by fighting between Turkey and Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) guerrillas and shelling of two villages at the foot of Mount Qandil.”

Nasnews quoted Iraqi MP Kawa Mohammed saying: “Turkish planes again bombed populated areas of the province of Arbil and killed four citizens and injured five others, all of them unarmed citizens living in the area.”

Hathalyoum reported: “Turkish warplanes bombed two civilian vehicles in the village of Barker in Sangasar district, killing four people, including three from one family and wounding five others.”

Baxtiyar Goran tweeted that there were two children among the injured.

In September 2019, the Christian Peacemaker Teams Iraqi Kurdistan (CPTIK) reported that “on June 27, 2019, the Turkish military fired a rocket at the vehicle of Abdullah Aali Mina killing him along with his daughter, Kurdistan, and his 17-year-old son, Haryad. The blast also wounded five additional family members, including his wife. They were returning home after a day-trip to their family lands in Ashqolka village near Sangasar. Initial reports claim that there was a PKK vehicle in the area and the Turkish military fired upon both vehicles.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Adult male killed
Age unknown female daughter of killed
17 years old male son of Abdullah Aali Mina
Adult female first name unknown injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (15) [ collapse]

  • Two children reportedly injured in the strike
  • Dead bodies following an alleged Turkish strike on Sangasar (via ANF)
  • Dead bodies following an alleged Turkish strike on Sangasar (via ANF)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of an alleged Turkish strike on Sangasar, June 27th 2019 (via ANF)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of an alleged Turkish strike on Sangasar, June 27th 2019 (via ANF)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of an alleged Turkish strike on Sangasar, June 27th 2019 (via ANF)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of an alleged Turkish strike on Sangasar, June 27th 2019 (via ANF)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of an alleged Turkish strike on Sangasar, June 27th 2019 (via ANF)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of an alleged Turkish strike on Sangasar, June 27th 2019 (via ANF)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of an alleged Turkish strike on Sangasar, June 27th 2019 (via ANF)
  • A wounded child following an alleged Turkish strike on Sangasar, June 27th 2019 (via ANF)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of an alleged Turkish strike on Sangasar, June 27th 2019 (via ANF)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of an alleged Turkish strike on Sangasar, June 27th 2019 (via ANF)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of an alleged Turkish strike on Sangasar, June 27th 2019 (via ANF)
  • Scenes from the aftermath of an alleged Turkish strike on Sangasar, June 27th 2019 (via ANF)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Sangasar (سنكاسار), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.247996, 45.018967. 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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI024a IRI002

Incident date

July 10, 2019

Location

ديري, Dere, Erbil, Iraq

Geolocation

37.098683, 43.520804 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One to two civilians, including an 18-year-old girl, were killed and up to four others injured in alleged Turkish or Iranian artillery strikes in the Bradost region of Iraqi Kurdistan on July 10th, 2019 according to local media reports.

Al-Monitor reported that Iranian artillery shelled the Sidakan border area in Erbil province on July 10th killing a civilian and wounding two others.

ANF said both Iran and Turkey carried out strikes in the area that resulted in the deaths of two civilians and injured four others.

Ihsan Chalabi, mayor of Sidakan town, told Al-Monitor: “On [July 10] at 12:10 p.m. local time, on grounds of targeting the Iranian opposition groups in the region, Iranian artillery shelled areas of Barbazin and Dere, and the villages of Dustanan, Zhuzhila and Talan. Unfortunately, a Kurdish girl named Zaitun Qadir, 18 years old, was martyred, and two of her brothers — Ali, 14 years, and Sirwan, aged 23, were severely injured.”

“The civilians were engaged with agricultural work in Dere village when the Islamic Republic of Iran’s artillery hit them. Consequently, all orchards and wild pastures burned and local citizens evacuated the area. We call on both Iran to halt shelling and the Iranian parties to not launch attacks on Iran from our area, for the sake of protecting civilian lives and their properties.”

Mr Chalabi said that Iran has haphazardly shelled the area from time to time, he insisted there were no clear headquarters and bases of Iranian opposition parties in the area.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Wednesday in a statement condemned the bombardment and said it “will not allow its border to be used for attacking and disrupting the security of neighbor countries.”

ANF reported that at 9 am the following day Iran and Turkey continued to bombard the Balakati and Bradost regions throughout the day with howitzers, mortars and katusha rockets aided by Iranian reconnaissance planes.

It was reported that whilst the villagers tried to extinguish the fires caused by the bombardments, hundreds of hectares of land was burnt.

EKurd Daily also reported that a girl was killed and her two brothers injured. According to the source, the Iranian army also shelled the villages of Kudo, Alana, and Gundzhor in Haji Omaran of Iraqi Kurdistan.

The incident occured at 12:10:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

18 years old female killed
14 years old male Brother of Zaitun Qadir injured
23 years old male Brother of Zaitun Qadir injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Iranian Military, Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Iranian army shells Bradost sub-district in Iraqi Kurdistan, July 10, 2019. Photo: Screengrab/Rudaw TV
  • A picture showing what is said to be Iranian shelling of Iraqi Kurdistan, seen in an image uploaded July 11, 2019. - Twitter/@PDKIenglish

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Dere (ديري), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.098683, 43.520804. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Iranian Military Assessment:

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

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
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Iranian Military, Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI025

Incident date

July 18, 2019

Location

سبيتدار, Spindar, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.035278, 43.571111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and five civilians were reported injured when Turkish airstrikes struck the village of Spindar in the evening of July 18th.

Bas News reported that Turkish warplanes shelled several positions in the village Spindar with rockets, while “chasing a car for the militants of the Kurdistan Workers, where the gunmen hid in the village”. The source added that the strikes injured a number of citizens and that the villagers detained the three PKK militants who were hiding in the village.

According to local source @VagerSaadulah however, the airstrike wounded the three PKK fighters who were in the car when it was struck and an additional three civilians on the side road. One civilian was a German citizen, according to the source.

Rudaw said five civilians were injured, five of them children.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–5
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported injured
    3

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Car allegedly hit by a Turkish airstrike on Spindar village in Dohuk on July 18th (via Roj News).
  • Car allegedly hit by a Turkish airstrike on Spindar village in Dohuk on July 18th (via Roj News).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Spindar (سبيندار) for which the generic coordinates are: 37.035278, 43.571111. 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 type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–5
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported injured
    3

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI026

Incident date

July 19, 2019

Location

مخيم الشهيد روستم جودي, Martyr Rustam Jodi Camp, Mosul, Iraq

Geolocation

35.759886, 43.605080 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Alleged Turkish forces shelled Martyr Rustam Joudi refugee camp in Makhmour and wounded two people around 3.15 am on July 19th, according to local sources.

Dwarozh News reported that Laila Arzou, the Joint Chief of Martyr Rostam Jodi camp, called on the United Nations and the federal government to protect civilians from Turkish shelling.

No other details are known at this time.

The incident occured at approximately 3:15 am local time.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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]

  • Video of the incident

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Martyr Rustam Jodi Camp (مخيم الشهيد روستم جودي) in Makhmur (مخمور). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for the camp are: 35.759886, 43.605080.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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

TI026a

Incident date

August 19, 2019

Location

بملة, Bole, Qandil, Iraq

Geolocation

36.43356, 44.96506 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three or four civilians were wounded in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Bole village, according to sources.

ANF reported: “Two houses were greatly damaged by the bombardments in Bole village and four civilians were wounded. One of these, named Ehmed Ebdullah, is reported to be in a critical condition.”

Kurdistan 24 said three civilians were wounded in the strike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ehmed Ebdullah
Adult male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

  • Ehmed Ebdullah, wounded in an alleged Turkish strike on Bole village, Aug 19th 2019 (via ANF)
  • An ambulance attends the scene of an alleged Turkish strike on Bole village, Aug 19th 2016 (via Rudaw)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Bole (بملة) for which the generic coordinates are: 36.43356, 44.96506. 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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • 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

TI027

Incident date

August 29, 2019

Location

شران , Sherane, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.012730, 42.947149 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reportedly injured in a Turkish airstrike on Sherane.

ANF said: “Turkish fighter jets shelled the village of Sherane in Duhok’s Amadiya district in South Kurdistan today noon. The bombardment has reportedly left a civilian wounded.”

RojNews wrote: “On Thursday, Turkish warplanes bombed an area belonging to the Amedi (Amadiyah) district of Dohuk governorate, wounding one civilian.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Picture of the supposed strike (via ANF)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Sherane ( شران ), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.012730, 42.947149. 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
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI028

Incident date

September 25, 2019

Location

كانى مازێ, Kani Mazi, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

36.922590, 43.447700 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian, 19 or 20 years old, named as Yousef Jamal, died in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Kani Mazi village, Jammak, Amedi, sources said.

According to ANF, “A 20-year-old teenager was seriously injured in the bombing and died in hospital despite doctors tried everything to save his life.”

Ninanews added that five other civilians were wounded.

Turkey confirmed carrying out strikes on the area.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Yousef Jamal
19 or 20 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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.
  • Known attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Translation: "As a result of the coordinated work of the Turkish Armed Forces and the National Intelligence Organization, the so-called special force element 2 PKK terrorist was neutralized in the vehicle they used with the air operation carried out in Gara region in the north of Iraq. #MSB#TSK"

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kani Mazi (كانى مازێ) for which the generic coordinates are: 36.922590, 43.447700. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Turkish Military

Within the scope of the successful operation of Pawe-3, 3 PKK terrorists belonging to a separatist terrorist organization were made ineffective with the air operation conducted in Haftanin region. Thus, the number of terrorists neutralized in the north of Iraq today is 6. #MSB#TSK

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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.
  • Known attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI029

Incident date

September 25, 2019

Location

زيوكة, Zaywakah, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

Geolocation

35.91137, 45.41096 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and five civilians including two children were wounded in alleged Turkish strikes on Zaywakah village, according to local media.

Basnews reported: “Five civilians, including two children, were injured in Turkish air strikes which have been going on for two days inside the Kurdistan Region”.

ANF said two civilians were wounded.

The Christian Peacemaker Teams in Iraqi Kurdistan (CPTIK) reported in a list shared with Airwars in January 2020 that Dilamn Rasul Awlla and Omer Awlla Hasan, presumably both 25 years old, had been injured in the airstrike, according to the village leader.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Dilamn Rasul Awlla
25 years old male injured
Omer Awlla Hasan
25 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Zaywakah village, Spet 25th 2019 (via Kurdistan 24)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Zaywakah (زيوكة) for which the generic coordinates are: 35.91137, 45.41096. 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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]