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

TS560

Incident date

October 12, 2022

Location

شيراوا, Sherawa district, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.466500, 36.887006 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Additional Geolocations

36.464198, 36.866351 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map 36.410735, 36.862676 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to three women, including a pregnant woman, were killed and children were injured in clashes between Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and Turkish forces-associated Levant Front in the Sherawa district of Afrin on October 12, 2022.

Hawar News reported that three women, including a pregnant woman, were killed and children were injured in the clashes, specifically artillery shelling and tanks, between Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and the Levant Front in occupied Afrin. A local source told Hawar that the casualties occurred in the villages of Burj Abdalo, Karzila and Ain Dara in Sherawa district, and that the pregnant woman named Fatima Mahmoud al-Abed that was killed was from the village of Karzila.

Al Khabour posted on Facebook that one of the women was killed by artillery shelling by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham on the village of Burj Abdalo. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also identified a woman as being killed by “indiscriminate bullets and shrapnel” but did not specify which village in Sherawa district.

A video posted by Ahmad M. Ahmad shows the moment a shell fell on the home of a civilian in the village of Karzila.

Source were conflicted as to whether the casualties were caused by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and the Levant Front, a Turkish proxy fighting force.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Fatima Mahmoud al-Abed
Adult female pregnant killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery, Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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
    Turkish Military, Rebel Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda/HTS

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One of the victims of clashes between Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and the Levant Front in Afrin on October 12, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • What is happening since this morning in the city of Afrin and its environs is fierce battles between the armed factions affiliated with Turkey. Artillery shelling targeting the vicinity of the city of Afrin at these moments. Violent clashes in the villages of Shirawa district, extending to the outskirts of Afrin. - Violent clashes inside the village of Karzila/Krzyhel in Shirawa district. -According to a call I had with my parents inside the Jindires district, the sounds of violent clashes are heard from the south of the district, and the clashes are concentrated in the villages of Deir Ballut and Muhammadiyah. The video below shows the moment a shell fell on the house of a civilian in the village of Karzila / Karzyhel. "We wish safety to our people in the city of Afrin and its villages"

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention strikes on the villages of Karzila (قرزيحل), Ayn Dara (عين دارة), and Burj Abdalo (برج عبد الله). The generic coordinates for Karzila are: 36.466500, 36.887006. The generic coordinates for Ayn Dara are: 36.464198, 36.866351. The generic coordinates for Burj Abdalo are: 36.410735, 36.862676. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the locations further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Rebel Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Rebel Forces
  • Rebel Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery, Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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
    Turkish Military, Rebel Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda/HTS

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS589

Incident date

March 4, 2023

Location

بغديك, Bagdik, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.735505, 38.659869 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians were injured by alleged Turkish shelling of Bagdik village in eastern countryside of Kobani on March 4, 2023.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that two civilians were injured and taken to the hospital after sustaining injuries from mortar fire launched by Turkish forces on Bagdik village.

Hawar News also reported that “civilians” were injured and provided the name of one of the civilians who was injured, and who was taken to Kobani Hospital to undergo surgery and was in critical condition at the time of reporting: Ahmed Asaad Hamza, 28 years old.

Hawar News included details that a number of people’s homes were destroyed in the village of Bagdik, and ARTA FM added that homes in the village of Kolteb were also destroyed.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the shelling to Turkish forces, with some referring to mortar shells as being used while ANF reported that howitzers carried out the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmed Asaad Hamza
28 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Bagdik (بغديك), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.735505, 38.659869. 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
  • 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

TS624

Incident date

August 23, 2023

Location

طريق علي فرو, Ali Faro Road, Al-Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

37.040713, 41.116864 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On the afternoon of August 23, 2023, a man was killed and at least one person, a female journalist, was injured in an alleged Turkish drone strike on the Qamishli-Amuda road in Northeast Syria.

The man, Najm al-Din Faisal, worked for woman-run channel JIN TV, and was driving fellow channel employees. Dalila Akid, a journalist, was wounded. After undergoing treatment, Hawar News confirmed that Akid has been released from being operated on and is now under intensive care.

ANF News claimed multiple people were in the car and Kurdistan TV has specified that several journalists were injured, but no further information has been released.

Hawar News wrote about Najm al-Din Faisal, the driver killed in the drone strikes: Najm was 46 years old, born on March 30, 1977 and came from the village of Al-Jawhariya in Amuda district. He had five brothers and three sisters, and he is the 3rd brother among them. Najm left school after his “primary” education to help his family by working in agriculture, and he was married at the age of 29 and had three daughters and one son named Vian, Beretan, Amara, Maashouq. During the Rojava revolution, Najm joined the theater within the Culture and Art Authority in Amuda district as a volunteer without pay and began working for Jin TV as a driver at the beginning of 2021, according to his sister Perwin Faisal.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights identified the location of the strikes as near Mazar Shaikh Jabr Village on Ali Faro Road. An eyewitness told Radio Arta that he saw residents of Tal Shair Sheikhan removing the victims from the car after it was struck.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Free Medium Union alleged that the car was struck in an attempt to silence independent journalists. The Media Department for AANES consequently released a statement condemning “the Turkish occupation and its Syrian mercenaries” for the attack. Kurdistan TV reported that JIN TV—“Woman” TV in Kurdish—has ties to the Kurdistan Workers Party, and suggests this may be why the vehicle was attacked.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

The victims were named as:

Najm al-Din Faisal نجم الدين فيصل
Age unknown male killed
Dalila Akid دليلة عكيد
Age unknown female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man1 journalist)
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Vehicle struck by alleged Turkish drone strikes on August 23, 2023. (Image posted by ANF)
  • Vehicle struck by alleged Turkish drone strikes on August 23, 2023. (Image posted by ANF)
  • Vehicle struck by alleged Turkish drone strikes on August 23, 2023. (Image posted by Kurdistan TV)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a vehicle struck on the Ali Faro Road (طريق علي فرو), which runs between the towns of Qamishli (ٱلْقَامِشْلِي) and Amouda (عَامُودَا), in the vicinity of the village of Tal Shair (تل شعير). Analysing audio-visual material from sources, we have narrowed the location down to the following exact coordinates: 37.040713, 41.116864.

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 man1 journalist)
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS665

Incident date

December 5, 2023

Location

حربل, village of Harbel in the Al-Shahba area, northern countryside of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

On Tuesday, December 5, 2023, a Kurdish civilian man was seriously wounded while driving his car by an alleged drone strike by the Turkish military on the village of Harbel in the Al-Shahba area, in the northern countryside of Aleppo, Syria. According to the local sources, the attack was perpetrated with a “suicide drone”.

According to the Facebook account “Human Rights Afrin”, a 38-year old man named Azad Khalil Hamada sustained injuries to his leg, and his car was damaged. It was reported that Azad belonged to the forcibly displaced people of Afrin. He appeared in an image shared by this account as a middle-aged bearded man in a brown pullover and jeans. A picture of his damaged white “Kia” auto was also posted.

Afrin Muhajar Facebook user also shared an image of Azad lying on the hospital bed with his arm in a cast, so likely his arm was also injured.

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

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Azad Khalil Hamada آزاد خليل حمادة
38 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Source: Human Rights Afrin Facebook
  • Source: Human Rights Afrin Facebook

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Afrin Muhajar facebook

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

TS163

Incident date

February 8, 2018

Location

كفر شيلا, Kafr Shila, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.509722, 36.833611 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to several local media report, one woman and her two children were wounded in an alleged Turkish bombing of Kafr Shila, Syria.

Airwars researchers translated the video footage from Rumaf facebook post, which has now unfortunately been removed.

“Voice off camera asking woman: what kind of shelling was it? Was it artillery or plane?

Woman: it was artillery. We were sleeping at my brother’s house. We usually sleep there and then we go to our house in the morning and spend the day times there.   In the morning I was in our home and getting breakfast ready I went to the kitchen to get a cup and I was shot in my foot and then there was artillery shelling and fire arms they were just hitting us. We were all injured. We were all civilians, they hit the civilians not the military. There is no military there.

Off camera: you mean they’re deliberately hitting the civilians

Woman: yes they demolished the civilians’ homes. They demolished half the village. There are still people there under siege we’ve spoken to them they’re still shelling the houses. There is a cave people are taking shelter in because the village is still being hit because they know there are civilians they won’t’ let anyone come out alive.”

The another video of a young injured boy was also used to document the shelling of Ashka Gharbi village, Jandrissa, Afrin where as many as two civilians were injured. It is unclear to which incident it belongs. 

The incident occured at 23:00:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Amina Dormash
35 years old female a displaced woman from Tallada injured
Mahoud Dormash
10 years old male wounded in Deir Balut, a displaced person from Tallaha injured
Mustafa Dormash
10 years old male wounded in Deir Balut, a displaced person from Tallaha injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A video reveals the child, being treated at the medical centre followed an alleged Turkish strike on Kafr Shila, 8th February 2018. (via: SDF Video)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kafr Shila, Aleppo (كفر شيلا), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.509722, 36.833611. 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
    3
  • 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

TS195

Incident date

February 13, 2018

Location

سعرنجكة٫شران , Sa'arnajka, Sharan district, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.6205222, 36.9417858 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were wounded in an alleged Turkish shelling of Sa’arnajka, according to the Kurdish Red Crescent.

The Smart News Agency also reported two wounded civilians but cited the Kurdish Red Crescent report.

Please note, some of the images from TS193 and TS194 are also reported for this incident. We are unable to determine which incident they belong to.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • An injured civilian in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Sa'arnajka, Sharan district, Afrin, 13th February 2018. (via The Kurdish Red Crescent)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured civilian in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Sa'arnajka, Sharan district, Afrin, 13th February 2018. (via The Kurdish Red Crescent)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured civilian in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Sa'arnajka, Sharan district, Afrin, 13th February 2018. (via The Kurdish Red Crescent)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the subdistrict of Sa’arnajka, Sharan district, Afrin (سعرنجكة٫شران ), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.6205222, 36.9417858. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI008

Incident date

September 4, 2017

Location

نهيل , Nahil area of Al-Amadiya, Dahook, Iraq

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

A single source, Iraqi Spring Media, reported an alleged bombing by “the Turkish air force” of the Nahil area of the Al-Amadiyah district, north of Dohuk – though the source said that there was no information on civilian harm.

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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 Nahil area of Al-Amadiya (نهيل ), 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.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS302

Incident date

October 10, 2019

Location

راس العين, Serekaniye, Hasaka, Syria

Geolocation

36.849574, 40.071603 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between five and seven civilians were reported killed and five others injured in an alleged Turkish forces airstrike or artillery attack on Ras Al Ain, Hasakeh, Syria on October 10th 2019, according to local sources.

Kurdish Red Crescent and Violation Documentation Center in North Syria named the seven victims as Ammar Abdo Al-Taym, Ahmed Mohammed Altaym, Bashar Ahmed Sinjar, Ezzeldin Abdul Aziz Mohammed, Ibrahim Ali, Abdulaziz Jassim \ Ras al-Ain

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ammar abdu Altaym
18 years old male killed
Ahmad Mohammad Altaym
24 years old male killed
Bashshar Ahmad Sanjar
19 years old male killed
Ahmad Jasem Alabed
21 years old male killed
Ezzeldeen Abdulaziz Mohammad Jassem
18 years old male killed
Ali Mustafa Mustafa
Age unknown killed
Khalaf Aboud Khalid
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Serekaniye (راس العين), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.849574, 40.071603. 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
    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

Sources (4) [ collapse]