Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

An internally displaced Kurdish family in northern Iraq, 2016 (Maranie R. Staab)

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

Incident Code

TS295

Incident date

October 9, 2019

Location

Mitkalta village, Tal Abyad, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.556229, 39.107500 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two or three civilians from the same family – a father, mother, and their child – died in an alleged Turkish strike on Matkalat village in the countryside of Tal Abyad area in the northern countryside of Al-Raqqah, according to local media.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that “three people, a man, his wife, and their child,” died.

However, @NPA_SY put the death toll at two (the man and his wife), reporting that they died when a Turkish airstrike hit their house.

Hawar News named the three victims, but said that the child had survived the attack.

According to Hawar News, “The Turkish army attacked the village of Metlkalta with missiles. Rebia Masmaîl and Mihemed Hac Qadir were slaughtered and their 9-year-old son Rêzan Masmaîl was injured as a result of the missile hitting the vehicle they were in. Rêzan Îsmaîl, who has four brothers and a sister, is being treated at Minbic Hospital.”

The source added: “Nine-year-old Rêzan is unaware of the death of his parents. Enwer Umer, one of Rêzan’s relatives, said: ‘My children called me. They said that four missiles were thrown into the village by the occupying Turkish state. One of the missiles hit a vehicle carrying Rêzan and his family”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Adult female killed
Adult male killed
9 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1 child1 woman1 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Kurdish Red Crescent list of casualties caused by Turkish military attacks between 9 and 13 Oct 2019

  • Mrs. Rabeah Ismail and her husband Mohammad Hajj Qader Ismail. (via SN4HR)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the subdistrict of Mitkalta village, Tal Abyad, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.556229, 39.107500. 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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1 child1 woman1 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 (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS294

Incident date

October 9, 2019

Location

Mabrouka IDP camp, Ras al-Ain, Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

@NPA_SY tweeted: that the SDF Press Office said  “a child lost his life in Mabrouka IDP camp, Ras al-Ain, due to the difficulty of moving him to hospital following Turkish indiscriminate shelling”.

Hawar news agency also reported the death of a child.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Mabrouka IDP camp, Ras al-Ain, 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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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

TS293

Incident date

October 9, 2019

Location

رأس العين‎, Ras al-Ain, Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

One civilian died and at least five more were wounded in alleged Turkish shelling in the vicinity of Ras al-Ain, local media reported.

@NPA_SY tweeted: “Five civilians were injured,and taken to Lekirin hospital in Tal-Tamr west of Hasakah, after being hit by Turkish artillery shelling on the city of Ras al-Ain and surrounding villages.”

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “another citizen was killed in in the vicinity and countryside of Ras Al-Ayn area in Al-Hasakah.Turkish shelling also left at least 13 civilian injuries, and the number of casualties is expected to increase due to the presence of some injuries in critical condition.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–13
  • 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]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Ras al-Ain (رأس 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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–13
  • 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

TS298A

Incident date

October 9, 2019

Location

حي جرنك, Jarnak Neighbourhood, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

37.069109, 41.269342 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian, named as Akram Yousef, was reported killed in an alleged Turkish forces airstrike or artillery strike on Hai Jarnak in Qamishli city, on October 9th, 2019 according to local media sources.

Sources said that he was married with three children.

 

The incident occured between 12:00 am and 2:00 am local time.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Akram Yousef, reported killed in an alleged Turkish strike on Hai Jarnak in Qamishli. October 9th, 2019 (via Jesr Press)

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Jarnak neighbourhood (حي جرنك) in Qamishli city (القامشلي‎). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Jarnak are: 37.069109, 41.269342.

  • Reports of the incident mention the Jarnak neighbourhood (حي جرنك) in Qamishli city (القامشلي‎).

    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 and/or Artillery
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS292

Incident date

October 9, 2019

Location

Mishrafa village, Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.804224, 40.108060 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In the first civilian casualty incident for “Operation Peace Spring” – Turkey’s offensive on Kurdish-led militias in northeast Syria – one or two civilians were killed and a further two injured in Mishrafa village, according to various sources on the ground.

All known sources attributed responsibility to Turkish airstrikes and reported that two civilians were killed.

The CEO of DeirEzzor24, Omar Abu Layla, tweeted that the two young men who had been killed in the strikes were from the Tal Diab village.

Mishrafa village is to the west of Ras al Ayn, a city that thousands of civilians were reportedly fleeing when “indiscriminate artillery and air bombardment” from Turkey began.

By 18:25 local time, the Coordination and Military Ops Centre of the SDF tweeted that Mishrafa had been emptied of civilians following the strikes.

Turkey’s long-planned offensive on the northeast began as US troops pulled back from the border areas earlier this week, after President Trump gave the green light for the Turkish invasion in an unexpected announcement on Sunday evening.

The incident occured at approximately 6:00 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Basel Moudar Al Hamdal
20 years old male injured
Basel Matar Mohammad
19 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (2 men)
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Kurdish Red Crescent list of casualties between 9 and 13 October 2019

  • A wounded civilian following an alleged Turkish strike on Mishrafa Village, Oct 9th (via Rudaw)
  • A civilian (right), reportedly wounded in an alleged Turkish strike on Mishrafa Village, Oct 9th (via Rudaw)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Mishrafa village, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.804224, 40.108060. 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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (2 men)
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS291

Incident date

August 5, 2019

Location

برج القاص, Burj al-Qas, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.366537, 36.94052 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 Burj al-Qas.

ANF said: “Turkish invasion army has bombed the villages of Birc Qas and Mezin in Afrin’s Sherawa district this morning.

A civilian by the name of Munzur, whose last name couldn’t be learned, was killed in the attack which also left 35 years old woman Şehida Nebo and her father Nebo Mamo injured.”

War Correspondent-Journalists published a similar report.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Şehida Nebo
35 years old female Daughter injured
Nebo Mamo
Adult male Father injured

The victims were named as:

Munzur
Adult male killed

Summary

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

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Burj al-Qas (برج القاص), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.366537, 36.94052. 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
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS290

Incident date

June 11, 2019

Location

شارع السكة, Tal Rifa’at, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.471601, 37.095606 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was allegedly killed and three more injured in a Turkish artillery strike on Tal Rifa’at.

ANF reported: “The Turkish army and allied jihadist terrorists have launched an attack on Tal Rifaat town in the Shehba Canton neighboring the occupied Afrin Canton.

The attack with howitzer and mortar fire killed a civilian by the name of Sabri Hemdo and left three other civilians, Fikret Reşîd Xorşîd, Zêneb Murad and Mehrem Bekir, injured.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Sabri Hemdo
Age unknown male killed
Fikret Reşîd Xorşîd
Age unknown male injured
Zêneb Murad
Age unknown female injured
Mehrem Bekir
Age unknown female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Tal Rifa’at (شارع السكة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.471601, 37.095606. 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
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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

TS289

Incident date

May 25, 2019

Location

برج القاص , Burj al-Qas, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.366537, 36.940520 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A young woman was injured in alleged Turkish artillery fire on Burj al-Qas in Şêrawa.

ANHA reported: “On the other hand, sources told our agency that the Turkish occupation army fired indiscriminately at the village of Birj al-Qas in the area of ​​Sherawa, wounding the young woman Manar Ali Nassero. The source confirmed that her health condition is stable.”

ANF quoted the ANHA report.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Manar Ali Nassero
Adult 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 (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Burj al-Qas ( برج القاص ), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.366537, 36.940520. 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 (2) [ collapse]