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

TI046

Incident date

August 11, 2020

Location

Bradost region, Erbil , Iraq

Geolocation

36.747413, 44.398155 Note: The accuracy of this location is to District level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least five civilians were killed in alleged Turkish drone strikes in the Bradost region, Erbil governorate, on August 11th, 2020, according to local sources. The civilians died alongside five Iraqi border guards and five Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) members.

Armen Press reported that 15 people were killed in a Turkish drone strike in northern Iraq Iraqi, adding that there were five civilians, five border guards and five PKK members among the victims.

AFP reported that “two high-ranking Iraqi officers were killed Tuesday in what the army said was a ‘blatant Turkish drone attack’ in the autonomous Kurdish region, where Ankara has for weeks been raiding militant positions. The strike killed two border guard battalion commanders and the driver of their vehicle, the army said in a statement.”

Rudaw wrote that “an unmanned drone targeted a meeting between Iraqi border officials and Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters and a military vehicle in the northern Erbil province’s Bradost area Tuesday afternoon, officials confirmed.” The mayor of Sidakan, Ihsan Chalabi, identified the two killed officials as Kurds Zubair Hali Bradosti and Mohammed Rashid Sulaiman.

@YourAnonAlerts wrote that a civilian father and his son had been killed in the strikes.

The drone strikes reportedly followed on a shooting between PKK fighters and Iraqi border guards the night before.

Global Village Space reported that “Iraq cancelled a ministerial visit and summoned Turkey’s ambassador as it blamed Ankara for a drone strike that killed two high-ranking Iraqi officers on Tuesday. As the number of civilians killed in the Turkish military campaign increases, Iraq grows increasingly weary.”

The incident occured in the afternoon.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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
    Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    5–10

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Photo taken near Bradost, shortly after the alleged Turkish drone strikes on August 11th, 2020 (via Rudaw).
  • Translation: “Two Iraqi military officers and seven civilians were killed and many were wounded in the past two months, as a result of air strikes launched by Turkish forces inside the territory of the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The Iraqi government and the Arab countries should not turn a blind eye to all this” (via @bestoon_khalid).

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Bradost region, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.747413, 44.398155. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the Bradost region.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

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 – 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
    Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    5–10

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI064a

Incident date

August 10, 2021

Location

باصل , Bosal, Dohuk , Iraq

Geolocation

37.21093, 42.89497 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was seriously injured in an alleged Turkish artillery strike on Bosal village in Darkar sub-district, Dohuk Province on August 10 th 2021, according to one source.

Christian Peacemakers Teams reported that Abdulrahman Yousif, 55, from the village of Bosal, was severely injured while picking figs in his orchard. The strike occurred at 15:50 and originated from a recently constructed Turkish military base.

The Christian Peacemaker Teams statement regarding the incident was published by local media outlets who did not provide any further details.

The incident occured at 15:50:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Abdulrahman Yousif عبد الرحمن يوسف
55 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • 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
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Bosal (باصل), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.21093, 42.89497. 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
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • 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
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI021a

Incident date

May 15, 2019

Location

برزان, Mount Butin, Erbil, Iraq

Geolocation

37.077778, 44.155833 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A 50-year-old male civilian died in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Barzan, according to multiple local sources.

ANF reported: “Turkish fighter jets carried out a bombardment on Mount Bote located in Barzan region in the countryside of Hewler (Erbil) Governorate.

“A 50-year-old civilian by the name of Kazım Eli was killed in the attack. The man was reportedly collecting beets in the area targeted by Turkish warplanes.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Kazım Eli
50 years old male killed

Summary

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

  • The body of Kazim Ali is carried away following an alleged Turkish airstrike on Barzan (via Sator-iq)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention a strike on Mount Butin (بۆتین), in vicinity of  Pendro (پێندرۆ) village. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Mount Bote are: 37.077778, 44.155833.

  • Reports mention a strike on Mount Butin (بۆتین) close to the village of Pendro (پێندرۆ)

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

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
    1
  • (1 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

TI057

Incident date

March 19, 2021

Location

سنين , Seneen, Erbil, Iraq

Geolocation

36.741085, 44.396610 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were reportedly injured in a Turkish airstrike or helicopter attack on a car, according to local reports.

According to Rudaw News, “Turkish warplanes targeted a civilian vehicle in northeastern Erbil province late on Friday, injuring two passengers, a local official and a border guard told Rudaw.  A civilian vehicle carrying four passengers was targeted by the Turkish army in Sinin village in the Sidakan subdistrict near the border with Iran, Sidakan Mayor Ihsan Chalabi told Rudaw’s Bakhtiyar Qadir. The vehicle was a Toyota Hilux pickup.”

Rudaw also featured a video on Twitter of one of the two civilian victims it said were injured, named as Luqman Rasul.

Nabd said the attack had instead been carried out by helicopter, and named both victims. “A Turkish helicopter bombed this Friday evening, a civilian car, a Toyota Hilux, in the Sidekan district of Erbil, wounding two people. The director of Sidekan district, Ihssan Chalabi, told Rudaw Media Network, ‘The Turkish air force targeted a civilian car in Seneen village in the sub-district.’

“According to the preliminary information obtained by Rudaw’s correspondent, Bakhtiar Qadir, the car was carrying four people who were on their way to transport livestock from Iranian Kurdistan. As a result of the bombing, two people were wounded, Zikry Haji Majeed and Luqman Jattu.”

 

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Luqman Rasul or Jattu
Adult male injured
Zikry Haji Majeed
Adult male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • 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]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Luqman Rasul receiving treatment (screengrab via Rudaw video)
  • A vehicle reportedly damaged in a Turkish jet or helicopter strike near Sinen, Kurdistan on March 19th 2021 (via Nabd)
  • A vehicle reportedly damaged by a Turkish strike, March 19th 2021 (via Shafaq News)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Seneen (سنين), allegedly located within the Sidekan (سيدكان) district, also known as Bradost. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further, however research shows a Mount Bradost which is located in the area mentioned by sources. The generic coordinates for Mount Bradost are: 36.741085, 44.396610.

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
  • 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

TI084

Incident date

June 17, 2022

Location

كيسته, Kesta, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.256848, 43.160734 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

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 Amedi town, told Rudaw’s Haydar Doski on Friday that Turkish troops from a nearby military base shelled inside the village earlier in the day, injuring two women, who were hospitalized. The shelling was done with DShk, a Soviet heavy machine gun, for about half an hour. ANF specified that the injured women were taken to Batifa Hospital.

Omed Kestayi also provided the names of the victims: Kazen (25 years old) and Sally (40 years old), one of them was hit in the head and the other in the hand.

The majority of sources attributed the bombardment/shooting to Turkish forces, while only Zagros News did not identify who was responsible.

The incident occured at approximately 5:30 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

25 years old female injured
40 years old female injured

Summary

  • 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 attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • One of the women injured when Turkish artillery attacked Kesta Village, north of Duhok which resulted in the injury of two women. (Image posted by Shafaq News)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kesta (كيسته), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.256848, 43.160734. 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, 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 attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI001

Incident date

July 25, 2015

Location

العمادية, Amadiyah, Kurdistan, Iraq

Geolocation

37.092003, 43.486966 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

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 this event.

The event coincided with a major Turkish ground and air operation against both ISIS and Kurdish forces in Syria, which the US-led Coalition later confirmed were unilateral actions by its erstwhile partner.

Turkey’s Prime Minister told reporters: “Bomb attacks were aimed at the known military targets, including Qandil in northern Iraq [notable as a sanctuary for the PKK], and at the most important command centers and weapon depots of ISIL in Syria. There were no civilians in these areas, none of them have died.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • 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 attacker
    Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Amadiyah (العمادية), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.092003, 43.486966. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • 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 attacker
    Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI036

Incident date

May 30, 2020

Location

درلوك, Deralok, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.056989, 43.652121 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A father and son were killed and another civilian was injured after an alleged Turkish airstrike near the town of Deraluk, Amedi district, on May 30th, 2020, according to local media reports.

The victims were Jalal Nuradin, 60, and his son Ahmed Nuradin, 32, reported K24, Christian Peacemaker Teams and Ahval.

Khalil Nerway, a relative of the victims, said an additional person was injured in the strike. “We have not yet seen the wounded, but we are told that his health is stable”, Mr. Nerway told Rudaw. Jalal, a retired Peshmerga, and his son were farming ancestral land “to make ends meet for their families”, according to the source. Neither of the bodies had been returned to the family at the time of reporting due to the difficulties in accessing the site of the bombing according to Mr. Nerway.

K24, Christian Peacemaker Teams and Ahval reported that the strike took place in the village of Hetuta.

Rudaw quoted unnamed officials as saying the strike targeted “suspected Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) positions in the Deralok sub-district of Amedi, close to the border with Turkey”. The attack took place at 09:30 am, according to Rudaw reporter Nasir Ali.

On May 30th 2020, the official Twitter account of the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Turkey Tweeted: “Two PKK terrorists, who were identified by means of reconnaissance and surveillance in the Avasin region of northern Iraq, were neutralized by an air operation. Our operations will continue until the last terrorist is neutralized.”

Mohammed Salim Nerweyi, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Deralok, told Rudaw that the deceased were civilians.

“No politician has even come to talk to us and offer condolences” Ahmad Nuradeen Muhiyadeen, Jalal’s brother, told The Guardian on April 4th, 2021.

Adam Gnych, who reported on the incident, provided Airwars with a transcript of an interview with Ahmed Nuradeen Muhiyadeen, Jalal’s brother:

“When we left for the trip there were four of us – me, Jalal, Ahmed and one of our neighbours. In the evening we went and stayed in the valley (the Rashava valley). Before dawn we set off, on the other side of the mountain we split the group, Jelal, Ahmed and our neighbour went one way, I went another way. I collected some mushrooms and some grasses; in the evening I came back home to Deraluk. The others stayed there for three days. On the fourth day, when they intended to come back to Deraluk, they were targeted. My neighbour told me that he found a beehive, he told Jalal and Ahmad to wait for him and drink some tea, on his way to the beehives he heard two bombings. When he returned to the place he saw that Jalal and Ahmed had been killed along with their horses. The area is very far away and surrounded by mountains so it’s hard to get a signal (telephone)… the incident took place at 8:30 am at 10 am we were contacted and told that both of them had been killed…. Jalal was a peshmerga before he retired. He couldn’t afford to sustain his family, our economic situation was very hard. Ahmed was jobless so they were obliged to risk their lives by going to the mountains to collect grasses and mushrooms to sell in the local bazaar.”

According to Mr Muhiyadeen, Ahmad had studied until the 6th grade, at which point he was forced to leave school due to the family’s economic situation. “He was so smart and so clever, he knew as much as a teacher. He was always reading the Quran and he liked playing football with his friends… I want this conflict to stop, neither the PKK nor Turkey have any reason to be here, they are just here to ruin our lives, we hope this war stops so that no more civilians will become victims like my brother and nephew.”

According to the family, Jalal was a father of eight (six sons and two daughters), Ahmed had two wives and three children (two sons one daughter).

The incident occured at 08:30:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

60 years old male Father of Ahmed Nuradin killed
32 years old male Son of Jalal Nuradin killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • An image of Jalal and Ahmed Nuradin, who were killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike while they were farming their ancestral land on May 30th 2020. (Uploaded by K24)
  • The graves of Ahmed and Jalal Nuradin, who were killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike near the town of Deraluk on May 30th, 2020. (Uploaded by Christian Peacemaker Teams)
  • An image that accompanied a Rudaw article about the strike. The image ran with the caption: “Deraluk’s Linkiyan mountains, where Saturday’s airstrike took place” (Uploaded by Rudaw TV)
  • A graphic showing the location of an alleged Turkish strike that killed Ahmed and Jalal Nuradin on May 30th, 2020. (Uploaded by The Guardian)
  • A map that accompanied a Rudaw article about the strike on May 30th, 2020, which killed Ahmed and Jalal Nuradin. (Uploaded by Rudaw)
  • An image that accompanied an article about the death of Jalal and Ahmed Nuradin who died in an alleged Turkish airstrike near the town of Deraluk on May 30th 2020. (Uploaded by K24)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Deraluk (درلوك), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.056989, 43.652121. 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

Media
from belligerent (1) [ collapse]

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI065

Incident date

August 17, 2021

Location

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

Geolocation

36.293922, 41.553731

Airwars assessment

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.

Ajansa Nûçeyan a Firatê published that “according to the statement of the Autonomous Administration Council in Sinjar, the attack resulted in the death of at least 8 people and the injury of 4 others. Among the martyrs were 4 fighters of the Sinjar Resistance Units who were receiving treatment in the hospital, in addition to the martyrdom of 4 members of the medical staff in the hospital who were serving the Yazidi community.” An image posted on Facebook shows that a baby was among those injured.

The names of those killed in the bombing are: Hamid Saadoun (Qiran Siba), a fighter of the Sinjar Resistance Units; Khader Sharaf (Bir Khader), a fighter of the Sinjar Resistance Units; Rami Al-Salem (Ronny), a fighter of the Sinjar Resistance Units, from the Arab component of the people of the Ba’aj region; Maytum Khader Khalaf (Sarhad Zammar), a fighter of the Sinjar Resistance Units; Ali Rasho Khader, from the medical staff; Saadu Elias Rasho, from the medical staff; Hajji Khader, from the medical staff; Mukhlisat Sidar, from the medical staff.

A report from the PKK identified Mukhlisat Sidar as being a doctor in the medical facility and added that he “had come to Sinjar in  2014 as a medical volunteer from North Kurdistan (southeast Turkey) to help provide medical  treatment for the local population during the IS attacks.”

An activist from Singer told Independent Arabia that “today’s operation came to complete the attack launched by Turkish planes yesterday in Sinjar, which killed three people from the Sinjar Protection Units and wounded two others.” The activist added that the two wounded, one of whom is a leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, were taken to this hospital for treatment.

A statement from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) pointed out that the initial strike was against “an Ezidi diplomatic delegation on its way to a meeting with Iraqi government officials on August 16”.  The reported added that “five members of a diplomatic delegation representing our  Democratic Autonomous Council of Sinjar (MXDŞ) were targeted by a Turkish air strike while  driving through the center of Sinjar city. Two members of the delegation, Seîd Hesen and Îsa  Xwedêda, were killed in the attack while Medya Qasim Simo, Şamir Abbas Berces and Mîrza  Alî were wounded.”

An Iraqi security source told Al-Ain News that “Turkish warplanes bombed this afternoon the military hospital of the Sinjar Protection Forces, which is located in the village of Al-Sakina, south of the district, in Nineveh Governorate. The Turkish aircraft deliberately targeted the building and made any attempts to evacuate those sleeping in it.”

According to the PKK report, the hospital that was bombed had been treating many civilian patients, including COVID patients, at the time of the attack and that “the hospital in the village of Sikêniyê – a former school building – had been established in  2016 after the liberation of the village by the Kurdish guerrilla and YBŞ/YJŞ forces. Ever since,  it had been run solely with the resources provided by the local population and the MXDŞ. It  had been used both by the civilian population of Sinjar and members of the YBŞ/YJŞ”.

“The hospital was subjected to three raids with drones that destroyed the entire building,” said Jalal Khalaf Basso, deputy mayor of Sinjar, to Agence France-Presse. A report from the PKK recalled that “after the first air strike had hit the hospital and  had wounded several people, civilians and Iraqi soldiers from a nearby military base who were  rushing to the scene to help were targeted by three more air strikes.”. All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the strikes to Turkey.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

The victims were named as:

Hamid Saadoun (Qiran Siba) حميد سعدون (قيران سيبا)
Age unknown male a fighter of the Shingal Resistance Units killed
Khader Sharaf (Bir Khader) خضر شرف (بير خضر)
Age unknown male a fighter of the Shingal Resistance Units killed
Rami Al-Salem (Ronny) رامي السالم (روني)
Age unknown male a fighter of the Shingal Resistance Units, from the Arab component of the people of the Ba’aj region. killed
Maytum Khader Khalaf (Sarhad Zammar) ميتم خضر خلف (سرهد زمار)
Age unknown male a fighter of the Shingal Resistance Units killed
Ali Rasho Khader علي رشو خضر
Age unknown from the medical staff killed
Saadu Elias Rasho سعدو إلياس رشو
Age unknown from the medical staff killed
Hajji Khader, حجي خضر
Age unknown from the medical staff killed
Mukhlisat Sidar مخلصة سيدار
Age unknown from the medical staff killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (4 healthcare_personnel4 other protected persons)
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Iraqi militias (PMUs)

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (11) [ collapse]

  • Victims of the bombing of a medical center in the village of Sakina (Image posted by ANF)
  • Image of Hamed Saadoun (with his wife), who was killed in alleged Turkish bombing of Al-Askiniyah Hospital on August 17, 2021. (Image posted by Shingal Sinjar my city on Facebook)
  • Four of the people that were killed at a medical facility on August 17, 2021. (Image posted by Shingal Sinjar my city)
  • Image of Khidr Sharaf, Ali Rasho Khidr, and Hajji Khidr, killed in strikes on a medical facility on August 17, 2021. (Image posted by Shingal Sinjar my city)
  • A baby injured in the strikes on the medical facility in the village of Sakina on August 17, 2021. (Image posted by Shingal Sinjar my city)
  • Image of Hamed Saadoun, who was killed in alleged Turkish bombing of Al-Askiniyah Hospital on August 17, 2021. (Image posted by Shingal Sinjar my city on Facebook)
  • Image of a car destroyed in the initial strikes by Turkish forces that killed three Sinjar Protection Forces personnel and injured two others. (Image posted by Shafaq News)
  • Image of a car destroyed in the initial strikes by Turkish forces that killed three Sinjar Protection Forces personnel and injured two others. (Image posted by Irq women via Facebook)
  • Hassan Saeed, commander of the 80th Brigade, was killed the day before in a strike along with two others and another two personnel were injured. The injured were receiving treatment at the hospital when the Turkish launched another strike and killed four military personnel. (Image posted by Murad Sheikh Kalou)
  • Image of a car destroyed in the initial strikes by Turkish forces that killed three Sinjar Protection Forces personnel and injured two others. (Image posted by Kurdistan Workers' Party)
  • Before and after photos of the Mt. Shengal clinic that was allegedly bombed by Turkish forces on August 17, 2021.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a medical center in the village of Sakina (قرية سكينة). Analyzing audio-visual material from sources, we have narrowed down the location to these exact coordinates: 36.293922, 41.553731.

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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
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (4 healthcare_personnel4 other protected persons)
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Iraqi militias (PMUs)

Sources (21) [ collapse]