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

TI066 YI001

Incident date

August 20, 2021

Location

بنكي, Banke village, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.207778, 42.968611 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two Iraqi tourists were killed in an alleged Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) IED or Turkish air or artillery strike near the village of Banke, Batifa sub-district on August 20th, 2021, according to local sources. Their bodies were missing until Kurdish and Iraqi security forces found them on August 22nd.

The security source told Shafaq News Agency, “Two tourists from Mosul entered, two days ago, the prohibited area in the village of Banka in Bativa district, affiliated to Zakho district, north of Dohuk,” noting that “a Turkish artillery shell fell near their car, leaving them dead.” The source added, “The two tourists are Ahmed Shukr, born in 1981, and Youssef Omar, born in 1995,” explaining that “the security forces in Zakho are trying to enter the prohibited area to evacuate the bodies of the tourists.”

Kurdistan 24 correspondent Islam Yousef said: “The bodies of the two men, who had been visiting from Iraq’s nearby province of Nineveh, were discovered still inside a car that sustained damage by the impact of what appears to be a roadside improvised explosive device (IED) in the village of Banke, located in the Batifa subdistrict outside Zakho.” The source quoted local authorities who said the men had been killed by a roadside bomb. The source also quoted anonymous local sources as saying the bomb had been planted by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Bas News reported: “Head of Batifa administration, Farhad Mahmoud, told BasNews that the two men visited Zakho countryside from Mosul on Friday when they were caught in the middle of a fierce conflict between the Turkish Army and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). He said the two men were hit in their personal vehicle in the vicinity of Banke village. “Investigations show that they were hit by a Turkish artillery fire,” he added. “We are now awaiting their conclusion of the forensic report before handing the bodies over to the families.”

The director of Batova district told Rudaw Media Network that “the Turkish bombing of the areas where PKK fighters are located, in the village of Bandro, of Batufa district, led to the killing of Iraqi tourists.” Rudaw reported: “The bodies of two tourists killed on Friday in Turkish artillery fire in northern Duhok province were retrieved by Iraqi border guards on Sunday afternoon and returned to their families. The two, Ahmed Shukir, 40, and Yousif Ammar, 26, are from Mosul had seemingly unknowingly entered a conflict zone when they visited the village of Bankie, in the Batifa sub-district where Turkish forces have clashed with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).” Rudaw quoted an unarmed eyewitness as saying the men had “died after an artillery shell hit their car”.

@BarzanSadiq posted a video alleging to show the moment the car was targeted and said “an IED blast planted by PKK killed the two Iraqi tourists”.

Medyanews quoted the Mesopotamia News Agency as saying “the two lost their lives when their vehicle was bombarded by a drone belonging to the TAF”.

The majority of the sources said the men had been killed by a Turkish artillery strike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmed Shukr
40 years old male killed
Youssef Omar
26 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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, YPG
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (14) [ collapse]

  • An image of Yousif Omar, who was killed in an alleged Turkish artillery strike or Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) IED strike on the village of Banke, Batifa sub-district on August 20 th, 2021. (Image posted by Rudaw News)
  • An image of Ahmed Shukr Mahmoud, who was killed in an alleged Turkish artillery strike or Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) IED strike close to the village of Banke, Batifa sub-district on August 20th, 2021 (Image posted by Rudaw News)
  • An image of Yousif Omar, who was killed in an alleged Turkish artillery strike or Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) IED strike on the village of Banke, Batifa sub-district on August 20th, 2021. (Image posted by Kurdistan revolution in Arabic)
  • An image of the vehicle Ahmed Shukr Mahmoud and Yousif Omar were traveling in when they were killed in an alleged Turkish artillery strike or Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) IED strike while visiting Banke village, Batifa sub-district on August 20th, 2021. (Image posted by @BarzanSadiq)
  • An image of the vehicle Ahmed Shukr Mahmoud and Yousif Omar were traveling in when they were killed in an alleged Turkish artillery strike or Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) IED strike while visiting Banke village, Batifa sub-district on August 20th, 2021. (Image posted by @BarzanSadiq)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image of the interior of the car the men were traveling in following the alleged Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) IED strike or Turkish air or artillery stike which killed them on August 20th, 2021. (Uploaded by Shafaq)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image of the interior of the car the men were traveling in following the alleged Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) IED strike or Turkish air or artillery stike which killed them on August 20th, 2021. (Uploaded by Shafaq)
  • An image of the vehicle Ahmed Shukr Mahmoud and Yousif Omar were traveling in when they were killed in an alleged Turkish artillery strike or Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) IED strike while visiting Banke village, Batifa sub-district on August 20th, 2021. (Image posted by @BarzanSadiq)
  • The funeral for Yousif Omar, who was killed in an alleged Turkish artillery strike or Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) IED strike on the village of Banke, Batifa sub-district on August 20th, 2021. (Image posted by Naynawa Alghad)
  • Caption: “Emergency services are seen in the Zakho area of northern Dohuk, near to where two tourists from Mosul were killed in a Turkish bombardment on August 22, 2021.” (Uploaded by Rudaw)
  • An ambulance is seen waiting to collect the bodies of two men who were killed during an alleged Turkish artillery strike or Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) IED strike near the village of Banke, Batifa sub-district on August 20th, 2021. (Uploaded by Kurdistan 24)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Banke (بنكي), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.207778, 42.968611. 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

YPG Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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, YPG
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI101

Incident date

December 28, 2023

Location

قرية كاركي, Karki, Sinjar District, Mosul Province, Iraq

Airwars assessment

Between 6 and 8 PM on Thursday, December 28th, 2023, at least five people were killed and two others injured after an alleged Turkish drone strike on the village of Karki in the Sinjar district of Mosul province. The civilian status of five of the men killed is contested within the sources.

Those killed were young men, originally from northern and eastern Syria; information on the wounded was not made available. Roj News, in conjunction with the Democratic Autonomous Administration of Shingal District identified the deceased as follows: 21-year-old Ramadan al-Hammadi, originally from Raqqa; 24-year-old Shaheen Ali, from Kobani; 20-year-old Hussein al-Hussein, also from Raqqa; 23-year-old Ahmed al-Mohammed al-Ali, from Raqqa; and Raqqa-born Munir al-Bakour. al-Bakour’s age was not publicly declared.

There remains dispute regarding the circumstances of the strike. While the local administration in Sinjar reported those killed were working digging wells to provide water for the villages of Kora Samukiya, Al-Arbay News stated that the bombing was a deliberate strike targeting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party. Al-Araby claimed their source, members of Nineveh security, as saying the strike targeted “a group of Labor Party activists.” Al-Arbay also specified that the local Sinjar administration is “known for its association” with the PKK.

Haider Sheshu, a commander of local militia Ezidkhan Protection Units, stated that he was unsure “whether the dead were fighters or civilians.”

Roj News reported the belligerent bombed the area three consecutive times. All of the sources attributed the drone strikes to Turkish forces.

The incident occured between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Water station
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 8
  • (0–5 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.
  • Impact
    Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–5

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • Source: Roj News
  • Source: Roj News
  • Source: Roj News
  • Source: Roj News
  • Source: Hawar News
  • Source: Hawar News
  • Source: Hawar News

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
    Water station
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 8
  • (0–5 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.
  • Impact
    Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–5

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI048

Incident date

August 19, 2020

Location

كانى ماز, Kani Masi, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.229298, 43.438993 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was allegedly killed by a Turkish airstrike on Kani Masi.

Rudaw reported: “Khalid Abdulrahman, 60, was killed while trying to rescue his grazing livestock after several Turkish airstrike hit the village of Kani Mazin, according to Kani Masi Mayor Sarbast Akrey.

‘At 1:45pm a drone came and fired two rockets and then a jet came and fired three others. When the jet fired the sixth rocket it hit the vicinity of the village,’ Akrey told Rudaw English.

‘The teacher tried to rescue the livestock which were near a fire caused by the bombardment but he was killed,’ he added.

The outskirts of the village were set alight by the airstrikes, and villagers have failed to extinguish the blaze, according to the mayor.”

According to Shafaaq the victim was 50 years old.

NRT said: “Sub-district director Sarbast Akrayi told NRT Digital Media that the Turkish military attacked the area around 1:30 pm, conducting five bombing runs, which caused significant damage to the villagers’ orchards and groves.”

Several sources said that the victim was the headmaster of a local school.

The incident occured between 1:30 pm and 1:54 am local time.

The victims were named as:

Khalid Abdulrahman
60 years old male Teacher 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Alleged Turkish airstrike on Kani Masi on August 19th, 2020 (via Gokturk report)
  • Alleged Turkish airstrike on Kani Masi on August 19th, 2020 (via Wa'ed)
  • Alleged Turkish airstrike on Kani Masi on August 19th, 2020 (via ANF)
  • Alleged Turkish airstrike on Kani Masi on August 19th, 2020 (via ANF)
  • Alleged Turkish airstrike on Kani Masi on August 19th, 2020 (via ANF)
  • Alleged Turkish airstrike on Kani Masi on August 19th, 2020 (via ANF)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kani Masi (كاني ماسي) for which the generic coordinates are: 37.229298, 43.438993. 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)
  • 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
    Unknown

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI075

Incident date

December 27–28, 2021

Location

Bankê, Duhok, Iraq

Geolocation

37.20788, 42.9688 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one woman was injured in alleged Turkish strikes on the village of Bankê between December 27-28th 2021, according to local reports.

Nalia Media Corporation reported that a woman was badly injured in Turkish air strikes near residents’ homes in the village of Bankê. The injured woman was taken to the hospital in Zakho and the residents of the two surrounding villages were left without electricity.

ANF News also identified one injury, a 42-year-old woman, who was wounded when Turkish shells struck her home. ANF added that the shelling also destroyed large areas of cultivated land and gardens and were fired from a Turkish base in southern Kurdistan.

Christian Peacemaker Teams reported that the shelling went on for several hours.

All other sources that reported on the incident also identified one woman as being injured and attributed the strikes to Turkey.

The incident occured after midnight.

Summary

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

  • Alleged Turkish strikes on Bankê on December 27-28, 2021. (Image posted by Mawazin)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Bankê, for which the generic coordinates are: 37.20788, 42.9688. 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
    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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI026a

Incident date

August 19, 2019

Location

بملة, Bole, Qandil, Iraq

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

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

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

Kurdistan 24 said three civilians were wounded in the strike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ehmed Ebdullah
Adult male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

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

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Bole (بملة) for which the generic coordinates are: 36.43356, 44.96506. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI038A

Incident date

June 17, 2020

Location

كيلكا, Kilka , Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.228473, 43.438437 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reported killed as a result of alleged Turkish airstrikes on Kilka village in Kani Masi.

According to Darkamazi, “Another citizen named Amin Salah Hasan in the Kani Masi area was exposed to the air strikes of the Turkish occupation, and his body was found today by the people of the region on the water springs in the village, knowing that the area is under the control and hegemony of Albukk.”

His body was found on June 19th, 2020 but it is unclear exactly when he was killed. Rudaw said “The body of the young Amin Salah, 27, was found in the village of Kilka belonging to Kanye Masi, after he had been missing two days ago, and his body was found today. He was martyred due to the Turkish shelling. ”

No further information is available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Summary

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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kilka (كيلكا), allegedly located within the district of Kani Masi (كاني ماسي). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Kani Masi are: 37.228473, 43.438437.

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)
  • 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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI086

Incident date

July 20, 2022

Location

برخ, Parkh, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.274460, 42.782079 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (other) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between eight and 10 civilians, including three children, were killed and up to 45 others, including four women and two children, were injured in alleged Turkish bombing of the village of Parkh on July 20, 2022.

According to BasNews, five tourists were killed and 15 others were injured by Turkish shelling of a summer resort outside Zakho, adding that the death toll was expected to rise as several of the injured victims were in critical condition. BasNews later updated their numbers to eight tourists killed and 23 others injured, and that the injured included women and children, some of them in critical condition.

A Facebook post from ShakwMakw reported that “Abbas Al-Awadi” from Baghdad was one of the victims killed in the bombing. He got married 5 days before and was on his honeymoon in Zakho. Additionally, Al-Awadi “graduated last year from the university and was recently accepted to study a master’s degree in engineering”.

Al Rabiaa TV posted on Facebook that Ali Sabah al-Jubouri from Tuwairej district was among the civilians killed. Sulaymaniyah Eye added the name of Abbas Muhammad Jawad Abdullah, a student of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Warith Al-Anbiya, who died from his wounds. Baghdad 1 identified  Taha Abdel-Zahra from Orfali as one of the people killed – Taha was married two years ago and father of two children, graduated this year.

Rudaw News provided a list of nine names of civilians killed: Saji Mahmoud Jassim 24 years old – Baghdad, Ali Sabah Ismaiel 43 years old – Baghdad, Abbas Alaa Abdel Hussein 30 years old – Baghdad, Zahraa Kheiri Muhammad 1 year old – Baghdad, Sarah Qais Ali 12 years old – Baghdad, Zahra Qais Ali 16 years old – Baghdad, Taha Abdul Rahman Niema 25 years old – Baghdad, Hassan Abdul Ameer 55 years old – Kerbla, Abbas Mohammed Jawad – Kerbla.

Tahseen Ali, 30, from Babil Province, who said he was standing about 20 meters from one of the strikes, which wounded his brother and sister, told the New York Times “It was chaos ­— tourists’ hands and legs were detached from their bodies.” Tahseen’s sister Ban al-Humnrani, 42, who is a U.S. citizen and was visiting from Sacramento, California, said that “We are used to hearing sounds of war, but I have never seen a horrific scene like this.” Ms. al-Humnrani  suffered a leg wound.

Mustafa Alaa, 24, who was at the resort with a friend when the attack occurred, told Reuters “We go towards the mountainside, there are strikes. We go towards the waterfall, there are strikes. We go towards this side, there are strikes. We pulled up the fence that was around the waterfall. We looked from inside, I saw children lying on the ground. … It’s a scene that I’ve never seen in my life.”

Worood Abbas, a 40 year old from Karbala governorate, who was on holiday in Zakho with her family, reported that her husband, Sabah, had been killed in this attack. She told the Middle East Eye, “I lost my husband, he was everything for me… we came for pleasure but it turned into a funeral.” She also said, “Can words send back my killed husband? Can speech heal my son’s injury? Of course not.”  Her ten year old son and 13 year old daughter were wounded in the attack. 

The Washington Post reported that in an interview broadcast by the Kurdish television network Rudaw, an eyewitness visiting from the capital, Baghdad, said tendrils of smoke had been visible farther up the mountain from the window of his tourist bus as he arrived in Barakh. “We asked our tour guide, but they said it was normal,” he said. About 15 minutes later, four or five strikes landed amid the gathered families, he said. A young boy’s hand was severed. An old man lost two daughters.

Dilsher Abdulsattar, head of the local administration of Darkar, confirmed the casualties to BasNews and said the shelling had targeted a touristic site in Parkh village, with unconfirmed reports saying that the victims were Arab tourists from central and southern provinces of Iraq. Rudaw News specified that the tourists were part of a 200-person tourism group from Baghdad.

Hawar News reported that 10 people were killed and 20 people were injured in the bombing. A Facebook post by “Erbil my city” also put the number of civilians killed at 10 and added that 45 others were injured. The New York Times reported that the dead and wounded were evacuated to Bedar General Hospital in the city of Zakho.

Kurdistan24 identified the location of the Parkh resort site as close to Sharanish waterfall in the Zakho Independent Administration’s northeast. The Washington Post described the scene before the strikes as “families had been gathered by a pool, taking a dip or resting in the dappled shade.”

Zakho mayor Muhsin Bashir claimed that “members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) were roaming the village, which led Turkey to bombard it.”

Vian Dakhil, the official speaker for the Kurdistan Democratic Party bloc in the Iraqi parliament issued a statement that “9 civilians were killed and 33 others were injured” and blamed the Turkish government for the bombing and the federal government for “failing to preserve the lives of its citizens and the sovereignty of its lands”.

Rudaw reported that following the incident, the Iraqi PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi sent a a security delegation and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein to Duhok to investigate what happened. The Speaker of Parliament Mohammed al-Halbousi called on the Iraqi government to the take necessary measures to investigate the Duhok bombardment. The Iraqi prime minister media office also released a statement that “the Turkish Forces committed an explicit and blatant violation of the sovereignty of Iraq, and the lives and security of Iraqi citizens by targeting a tourist resort in the Governorate of Dohuk in the Kurdistan region of Iraq”, adding that the attack “led to the deaths and injuries of civilians, most of whom are women and children”.

Turkey’s foreign ministry released a statement that Turkey was saddened to hear about the casualties from the attack and “Turkey is ready to take every step for the truth to come out. We call on the Iraqi government to not make remarks influenced by the heinous terrorist organisation’s rhetoric and propaganda, and to engage in cooperation to uncover the perpetrators of this cruel act,” indicating that the PKK was responsible, whilst denying their responsibility.

The Kurdistan Parliament released a statement which condemned “in the strongest terms the Turkish military’s shelling and calls on the Iraqi Federal Government to act in accordance with international law and norms and fulfill its legal and constitutional obligation to protect the territorial and airspace sovereignty of the Kurdistan region.”

The US released a statement condemning the attack, “the killing of civilians is unacceptable, and all states must respect their obligations under international law, including the protection of civilians,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

42 years old female Leg injury injured

Family members (2)

Sarah Qais Ali سارة قيس علي
12 years old killed
Zahra Qais Ali زهراء قيس علي
16 years old killed

Family members (4)

Sabah Abbas
male killed
Worood Abbas
female injured
Daughter of Worood and Sabah
13 years old female injured
Son of Worood and Sabah
10 years old male injured

The victims were named as:

Abbas Al-Awadi
Adult male killed
Ali Sabah al-Jubouri علي صباح
43 years old male killed
Abbas Muhammad Jawad Abdullah
Adult male killed
Taha Abdel-Zahra طه عبد الزهرة
Adult male killed
Saji Mahmoud Jassim سجي محمود جاسم
24 years old killed
Abbas Alaa Abdel Hussein عباس علاء عبد الحسين
30 years old killed
Zahraa Kheiri Muhammad زهراء ضرغام محمد
1 years old killed
Hassan Abdul Ameer
55 years old killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 10
  • (3 children4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20–45
  • 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 (54) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (40) [ collapse]

  • The moment alleged Turkish artillery shelling hits a touristic site in Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province on July 17, 2022. (Image posted by BasNews)
  • Tourists run away from the site of alleged Turkish artillery shelling that hit a touristic site in Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province on July 17, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The moment the dead body of Zahra Hamza is handed to the police by her mother. Zahra was the one-year-old child who passed away due to the artillery shelling on the Parkhe tourist resort in Zakho
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    "Kadhimi where are you, where is your country," a victim of the artillery shelling in Zakho shouts in despair
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The moment Turkish artillery bombed a tourist resort in Zakho
  • A number of Arab tourists have been wounded by the bombardment, including women and children, eyewitnesses told Kurdistan 24. "There are many causalities," one is heard saying in the footage shared with Kurdistan 24. 📹Submitted to K24
  • Image of one of the women injured in the alleged Turkish artillery shelling that hit a touristic site in Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province on July 17, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • One of the civilians injured in the alleged Turkish artillery shelling that hit a touristic site in Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province on July 17, 2022. (Image posted by Rudaw News)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image of one of the children injured in the alleged Turkish artillery shelling that hit a touristic site in Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province on July 17, 2022. (Image posted by Kurdistan Revolution)
  • Tourists run away from the site of alleged Turkish artillery shelling that hit a touristic site in Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province on July 17, 2022. (Image posted by Erbil my city via Facebook)
  • Victims of the alleged Turkish artillery shelling that hit a touristic site in Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province on July 17, 2022. (Image posted by Erbil my city via Facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Very graphic image of one of the children injured in the alleged Turkish artillery shelling that hit a touristic site in Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province on July 17, 2022. (Image posted by Almaalomah)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Very graphic image of one of the children injured in the alleged Turkish artillery shelling that hit a touristic site in Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province on July 17, 2022. (Image posted by Almaalomah)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Very graphic image of one of the men injured in the alleged Turkish artillery shelling that hit a touristic site in Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province on July 17, 2022. (Image posted by Almaalomah)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    GRAPHIC FOOTAGE The moment of the impacts of the bombardment in Duhok Governorate northern Iraq.
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    The woman says: i think my husband is dead.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Turkish airstrikes targeted a resort in Duhok Governorate northern Iraq resulted multiple casualties of Iraqi tourists.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    "Kadhimi where are you, where is your country," a victim of the artillery shelling in Zakho shouts in despair
  • An Iraqi security delegation visited with the victims of the alleged Turkish artillery shelling that hit a touristic site in Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province on July 17, 2022. (Image posted by INA)
  • An Iraqi security delegation visited with the victims of the alleged Turkish artillery shelling that hit a touristic site in Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province on July 17, 2022. (Image posted by INA)
  • An Iraqi security delegation visited with the victims of the alleged Turkish artillery shelling that hit a touristic site in Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province on July 17, 2022. (Image posted by INA)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • Medics transporting the body of a victim on Wednesday after Turkish airstrikes in the city of Zakho in northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region. Credit... Ismael Adnan/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
  • Shoes of victims are seen at the scene of a Turkish attack, according to Iraqi officials, on a mountain resort in Iraq's northern province of Dohuk, Iraq, July 20, 2022. REUTERS/Ari Jalal
  • Security forces inspect the site of a Turkish attack on a mountain resort, according to Iraqi officials, in Iraq's northern province of Dohuk, Iraq, July 20, 2022. REUTERS/Ari Jalal
  • A man pushes a wheelchair carrying a woman wounded by a Turkish attack, next to a hospital in Zakho, Iraq, July 20, 2022. REUTERS/Ari Jalal
  • Abdul Ameer al-Shammari, deputy commander of Iraq's military Joint Operation Command and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein inspect the site of a Turkish attack on a mountain resort in Iraq's northern province of Dohuk, Iraq, July 20, 2022. REUTERS/Ari Jalal
  • A view of the site of a Turkish attack on a mountain resort in Iraq's northern province of Dohuk, Iraq, July 20, 2022. REUTERS/Ari Jalal
  • Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein addresses the press after visiting those wounded by Turkish shelling at a hospital in the city of Zakho in the north of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region late on July 20, 2022. - Nine civilians including children were killed in a park in Iraqi Kurdistan region on July 20 by artillery fire that Baghdad blamed on neighbouring Turkey, a country engaged in a cross-border offensive. (Photo by Ismael ADNAN / AFP) (Photo by ISMAEL ADNAN/AFP via Getty Images)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured man lies on a hospital bed following Turkish shelling in the city of Zakho in the north of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region on July 20, 2022. (Photo by Ismael ADNAN / AFP) (Photo by ISMAEL ADNAN/AFP via Getty Images)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured boy receives treatment at a hospital following Turkish shelling in the city of Zakho in the north of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region on July 20, 2022. - Nine civilians including children were killed in a park in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region by artillery fire that Baghdad blamed on neighbouring Turkey, a country engaged in a cross-border offensive. (Photo by Ismael ADNAN / AFP) (Photo by ISMAEL ADNAN/AFP via Getty Images)
  • Saman Barzanji (C), Health Minister of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan Region, visits the victims injured by Turkish shelling at a hospital in the city of Zakho in the north of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region on July 20, 2022. - Nine civilians including children were killed in a park in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region by artillery fire that Baghdad blamed on neighbouring Turkey, a country engaged in a cross-border offensive. (Photo by Ismael ADNAN / AFP) (Photo by ISMAEL ADNAN/AFP via Getty Images)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A man stands outside a hospital with a blood-stained shirt after a Turkish attack, in Zakho, Iraq, July 20, 2022. REUTERS/Ari Jalal.
  • Security forces gather outside a hospital after a Turkish attack, in Zakho, Iraq, July 20, 2022. REUTERS/Ari Jalal
  • Prime Minister of Iraq, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi statement on attack on tourist resort in Iraq (Image via @MAKadhimi / Twitter)
  • A nurse gives fluid therapy to Aseel Fadhel after leaving the operation room inside Zakho General Hospital (MEE/Azhar Al-Rubaie)
  • Abu Mustafa outside Aseel Fadhal's room in Zakho General Hospital (MEE/Azhar Al-Rubaie)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a holiday resort within the village of Parakh (برخي). According to research conducted by @obretix, the exact location of this strike is: 37.274460, 42.782079. Cross referencing evidence from audio-visual material from sources, we can confirm this location.

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
    8 – 10
  • (3 children4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20–45
  • 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 (54) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI038

Incident date

June 17, 2020

Location

Bradost, Erbil, Iraq

Geolocation

36.735469, 44.387908 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was allegedly killed and others injured by a Turkish airstrike in the Bradost mountains.

Kurdistan24 said: “A shepherd who grazed his animals in the Bradost region died in the bombardment of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) warplanes against PKK camps yesterday afternoon.

Speaking to K24, Sidekan District Manager İhsan Çelebi, of Erbil, said that at 11:00 am yesterday, a shepherd died in the Bradost area during the Turkish air plane’s air strike against the PKK.

It was stated that the shepherd named Ebas Mexdid Nimet was from Herir town in Şeqlawe district and she was grazing her sheep in the region.”

CPT Iraqi Kurdistan tweeted: “At least one civilian has been killed and a number of others injured in the Turkish Airforce bombardment of Bradost mountain at 10.40 pm, 17th June, a CPT partner has just reported. He is from a nomadic family who are in the Barda Spian highlands to graze their animals.”

Nupel initially also reported that Mexdid was a shepherd but later updated the story saying he was a peshmerga of the Kurdistan Democratic Party.

The incident occured between 10:40 am and 11:00 am local time.

The victims were named as:

37 years old male Shepherd or peshmerga killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • 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 attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Ebas Mexdid, allegedly killed by a Turkish airstrike on Bradost on June 17th, 2020 (via Nupel)
  • Aftermath of Turkish strike on Bradost on Juney 17th, 2020 (via Peyama Kurd)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Bradost mountains, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.735469, 44.387908. 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
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • 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 attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (8) [ collapse]