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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Incident Code

TS534

Incident date

July 26, 2022

Location

قرية صيدا, Seyda village, Ain Issa, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.392991, 38.862918 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was killed and one civilian was injured as a result of an attack on July 26th 2022 by an alleged Turkish drone strike struck Seyda village, in the Ain Isa district, Raqqa, Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the drone hit a car with a missile.

Hawar News reported that the civilians injured were Ali Khalil Omar, aged 20, and Ahmed Al-Khidir, aged 21. Al-Khidir was reported to have been critically injured and transferred to Al-Raqqa hospitals for treatment. ANHA and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights later reported that he died of the wounds that he sustained in this attack the day after.

Omar was taken to Omar Alloush Hospital in the Ain Issa district centre and his condition was reported as stable.

The correspondent for Hawar News added that the drone strike occurred “in front of the “Trad” gas station on the international road at the northern entrance to the Ain Issa district”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ali Khalil Omar علي خليل
20 years old male injured
Ahmed Al-Khidir أحمد الخضر
21 years old male killed

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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Ali Khalil Omar, aged 20, was injured and Ahmed Al Khidir, aged 21, was killed after an alleged Turkish drone strike hit the Ain Issa area on July 26th 2022 (Image via ANHA English / Facebook)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Trad Al Hamid Petrol Station (محطة طراد الحميد للمحروقات), within the village of Seyda (قرية صيدا), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.392991, 38.862918. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Seyda are: 36.401948, 38.864291.

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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS483b

Incident date

January 8, 2022

Location

Koltepe village, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian was injured in alleged Turkish airstrikes or drone strikes on Koltepe village and the surrounding villages on January 8, 2022.

According to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, in total one civilian was killed and 12 other civilians, including women and children, were wounded in incidents across Kobani. The injuries varied in severity and were taken to Kobani hospital for treatment.

Hawar News reported the name of the civilian injured in Koltepe village: Jihan Mulla Osman Saleh (25 years old), Koltepe village.

The villages that were affected by the Turkish bombing were the villages of Tal Hajib, Qarmog, Goran, Khani, Sarzuri and Koltepe, located east of Kobani on the border with Turkey.

The General Council of the Democratic Union Party issued a written statement: “In a new test for the international community and the United Nations, the Turkish regime violated international principles and laws and targeted civilians in the center of Kobani city this morning, Saturday, with (drones) and heavy weapons, and its indiscriminate bombing resulted in martyrs and wounded civilians and extensive damage to their property.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members

The victims were named as:

Jihan Mulla Osman Saleh
25 years old 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • The villages of Qere Mox, Khani, Tel Hajjab and Alishar in eastern Kobani canton on the border with Turkey were being bombed on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • The villages of Qere Mox, Khani, Tel Hajjab and Alishar in eastern Kobani canton on the border with Turkey were being bombed on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • The villages of Qere Mox, Khani, Tel Hajjab and Alishar in eastern Kobani canton on the border with Turkey were being bombed on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • Damage from alleged Turkish shelling on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Kassioun)
  • Damage from alleged Turkish shelling on January 8, 2022. (Image posted by Kassioun)

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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS598

Incident date

June 3, 2023

Location

الاصيلم, Al Asilem, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.401518, 39.190418 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians, including a woman, were injured by an alleged Turkish drone attack on farmland in Al Asilem village, near the M4 road and north of Raqqa on June 3, 2023.

Hawar News reported that a 35 year old woman named Houriya Ayed Al-Daher and her 45 year old husband named Hussein Hammoud Al-Muhammad were injured in the attack when working on farmland and taken to hospital to receive treatment. Additional local sources provided similar casualty information, attributing the drone strikes to Turkish drones, with multiple sources referring to “explosive-laden drones.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Hussein Hammoud Al-Muhammad
45 years old male injured
Houriya Ayed Al-Daher
35 years old female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

  • Hussein Hammoud Al-Muhammad, 45 years old, injured by alleged Turkish drone strikes on June 3, 2023. (Image posted by Hawar News)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Asilem (الاصيلم), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.401518, 39.190418. 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, Drone Strike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • 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

TS626

Incident date

August 25, 2023

Location

قرية البركة, Al Baraka village, Hama, Syria

Airwars assessment

On 25 August 2023, a man and wife and their child were reportedly injured by a ‘terrorist’ mortar missile in the village of Al-Baraka, located in the north-western Hama countryside.

A Facebook post by a correspondent for Al Ghab valley in Hama reported that the injured child is 6 months old and that the family were transferred to a hospital in Hama in serious condition.

The source added that the mortar shells were launched by ‘terrorist groups’. This incident was among multiple which occurred on the same day, with other sources attributing similar incidents on this day to “Luwaa Uthman Ibn Affan” which is one of the formations of HTS (Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham) and has been associated with Turkish forces.

No other sources were found reporting on this incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–1
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

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
    3–1
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS674

Incident date

December 28, 2023

Location

مركز غسيل الكلى, Dialysis Centre, Al Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

37.054172, 41.262636 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On December 28th, 2023, a 65 year-old kidney patient identified as Ahmed Abd al-Rahman Khadr reportedly died as he could not access treatment, following the reported destruction three days earlier of a dialysis center hit by alleged Turkish air or drone strikes in Qamishlo city.

Rojava TV and Ibrahim Sheikho described Ahmed Abd al-Rahman Khadr as a former kidney patient who had been sick for more than two years. Sources both said he was Syrian, born in 1958 in Amuda, Al-Jazira district, and died as he could not access treatment following the destruction of the dialysis center. Ibrahim Sheikho posted a picture of the alleged victim on Facebook. Rojava TV claimed that he had undergone three dialysis sessions in the last two years. It further stated that the dialysis center had prior to the attack capacity to treat 70 patients and was equipped with only one emergency room with one device to provide dialysis treatment. No information was available as to where the victim died.

Qamishlo puls on Facebook alongside other sources reported that on December 25th 2023, alleged Turkish bombing in Qamishlo resulted in putting the “only dialysis center out of service”. Al Hafel on Facebook posted a video showing the damage to the building and piles of rubble – the source further claimed that the Syrian Democratic Forces are using hospitals and schools, such as the dialysis center, as “headquarters”, and that these buildings are hit by alleged Turkish drone strikes. Multiple sources reported that the oxygen plant in Qamishlo was also destroyed by alleged Turkish strikes on December 25th, 2023.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmed Abd al-Rahman Khadr أحمد عبد الرحمن خضر
65 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Denial of access to/destruction of objects indispensable to survival
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Impact
    Healthcare
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Source: Qamishlo puls
  • Source: Ibrahim Sheikho
  • Source: Ibrahim Sheikho
  • Source: Ibrahim Sheikho
  • Source: Ibrahim Sheikho

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention an alleged strike on the Dialysis Centre (مركز غسيل الكلى), to the east of Qamishli (ٱلْقَامِشْلِي). As there is no information available as to where the victim died, the location accuracy for this incident is set to “nearby landmark”. The generic coordinates for the Dialysis Centre are: 37.054172, 41.262636.

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 infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Denial of access to/destruction of objects indispensable to survival
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Impact
    Healthcare
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS021

Incident date

December 12, 2016

Location

البزاعة, Al Baza'a, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.3829071, 37.56666 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians from one family were reported killed as a result of Turkish artillery shelling in Al Baza’a, according to a single source.

The ISIS propaganda outlet Al A’amaq wrote: “a family of five killed following Turkish shelling on Baza’a near al Bab northeast of Aleppo.”

There are no other known details available at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • 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 town of Al Baza’a (البزاعة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.3829071, 37.56666. 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
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS064

Incident date

January 27, 2017

Location

الباب, Al Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eight people were reportedly injured as a result of an alleged Turkish artillery shelling on Al Bab.

Al Bab News and the ISIS-affiliated outlet Al A’amaq said that most of the wounded were women and children.

There are currently no further details available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Bab (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.51631. 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
    8
  • 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

CS333 TS005a

Incident date

October 8, 2016

Location

دويبق, Dabiq, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.5643925, 37.2749805 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Twelve to 14 civilians, including up to seven children and five women, were killed in air raids on the village of Dabiq in Aleppo governorate, according to local reports. It was alleged that both the Coalition and Turkey were responsible.

The Syrian Network reported “at least 8 civilians died in International Coalition warplanes missiles fired on Al Dabiq village in Aleppo governorate.” Halab Today TV, citing activists, reported that 12 civilians had been killed and others injured “following the targeting by international coalition planes.”

Sky News Arabia also reported a figure of “at least” 10 civilians, which it said were from “the same family,” and it blamed the bombardment on the international coalition – as did Hara FM which added that 23 people were injured. It described raids in residential areas that destroyed five houses, which killed “eight civilians from one family, most of them children and two from a second family” and said eight people had been transferred to Al Bab due to injuries, most of them critical.

However, the Syrian Observatory assigned blame to Turkey and put the death toll at 9 members from the same family. It said the victims were “an elderly man, 3 citizen women and 5 children” and added that others were injured and the death toll was expected to rise as some were in a “critical situation.”

In their May 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports that they were responsible for civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Mahmoud Fara
Age unknown male killed
Mahmoud Fara's wife
Age unknown female killed

Family members (6)

Sheikho Imam's wife
Age unknown female killed
Sheikho Imam's wife
Age unknown female killed
Sheikho Imam' child 1
Child killed
Sheikho Imam' child 2
Child killed
Sheikho Imam' child 3
Child killed
Sheikho Imam' child 4
Child killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 14
  • (4–7 children4–5 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    23
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Turkish Military

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Dabiq (دويبق), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.5643925, 37.2749805. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SCA456479
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • May 1, 2020

  • Oct. 8, 2016, in Dabiq, Syria via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 3068/CS333 37SCA456479

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For October 7th-8th 2016 the Coalition reported strikes in Aleppo governorate: “Near Mar’a, one strike damaged an ISIL VBIED facility. Near Washiyah, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL-held building and a command and control node.”

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 14
  • (4–7 children4–5 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    23
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Turkish Military

Sources (14) [ collapse]