Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

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

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

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

TS098

Incident date

January 20, 2018

Location

شيا عفرين, Shya, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.496944, 36.598333 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Afrin Now reported that “the Turkish army, based in the city of Izzaz, bombed the villages of Belonya, Malikya, Villat Qadi and Barada, resulting in the wounding of workers with light injuries.”

In a related event, the Red Crescent reported that a 45 year old civilian male it named as Ibrahem Khalil Muhammad was injured by shrapnel in the leg at Shya. It named 35 year old Ibrahem Muhammad Al Hussen as receiving a backbone injury at Sherwa. And it said 19 year old Zaem Oso was injured at Rajo.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ibrahem Khalil Muhammad
45 years old male injured
Ibrahem Muhammad Al Hussen
35 years old male injured
Zaem Oso
19 years old 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 (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Shya (شيا عفرين), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.496944, 36.598333. 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 (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS130

Incident date

January 27, 2018

Location

جنديرس, Jindires, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.391667, 36.693056 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Kurdish Red Crescent reported that nine civilians were injured in the Jinderes area of Afrin Canton.

In a report shared with Airwars, nine injured civilians were named – listed below.

The source Rodi Sad reported that a Turkish warplane struck a mosque in Jinderes. It published images showing destruction of the building but made no mention of civilian casualties.

Efrin News also reported Turkish strikes and published pictures from the Afrin region showing “the brutal Turkish aggression on the mosque of Salah al-Din and a cemetery in the area of Jenderis”. But, again, no mention was made of civilian casualties.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Feda Ali
22 years old female injured
Kemal Hisko
36 years old male injured
Dijwar Muhamad
21 years old male injured
Armanj Haj Muhammad
20 years old male injured
Sarhad Haj Ali
21 years old male injured
Fadakar
20 years old male injured
Rashed Nabe Kindi
80 years old male injured
Shekri Muhammad Kindi
76 years old male injured
Botan
21 years old male injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    9
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • The inside of a Mosque which was targeted by alleged Turkish airstrikes on 27th January 2018. (via Rodi Sad)
  • The inside of a Mosque which was targeted by alleged Turkish airstrikes on 27th January 2018. (via Rodi Sad)
  • The inside of a Mosque which was targeted by alleged Turkish airstrikes on 27th January 2018. (via Efrin News)
  • The inside of a Mosque which was targeted by alleged Turkish airstrikes on 27th January 2018. (via Efrin News)
  • The exterior of a Mosque which was targeted by alleged Turkish airstrikes on 27th January 2018. (via Efrin News)
  • The exterior of a Mosque which was targeted by alleged Turkish airstrikes on 27th January 2018. (via Efrin News)
  • The exterior of a Mosque which was targeted by alleged Turkish airstrikes on 27th January 2018. (via Efrin News)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Jindires, Afrin (جنديرس), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.391667, 36.693056. 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
    9
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS161

Incident date

February 7, 2018

Location

جنديرس, Rajo, Afrin, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.67296, 36.666364 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a private report, the Kurdish Red Crescent named the following one civilian was wounded in an alleged Turkish shelling of Rajo.

The type of weapon is unknown.

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Sheyar Ahmad Baker
35 years old injury to the ankle and stomache injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 village of Rajo, Afrin, Aleppo (جنديرس), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.67296, 36.666364. 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
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS193

Incident date

February 13, 2018

Location

قوطا شرقية,بلبل , Qota Sharqiya, Bulbul district, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.711111, 36.801944 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to two sources, some civilians were injured followed an alleged Turkish shelling on Qota Sharqiya, Bulbul district.

The Kurdish Red Crescent reported three civilians were injured followed an alleged Turkish shelling of Qota Sharqiya, Afrin.

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

One of the child victims was later named at age of two, injured in his forehead.

Please note that some of the images are also reported in TS192, Heikja, Afrin. We are unable to identify which incident they belong too. 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdo Shieko
2 years old male injury to the forehead injured
Khalil Ahmad
80 years old foot injury injured
Zeinab Ahmad
70 years old foot injury 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 (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • 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)
  • 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 village of Qota Sharqiya, Bulbul district, Afrin (قوطا شرقية,بلبل ), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.711111, 36.801944. 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS092

Incident date

August 29, 2017

Location

عفرين, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.511389, 36.864167 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between six and 10 civilians including one or more child were wounded in an alleged Turkish shelling on Afrin, according to local media.

Rudaw said that “Rizan Haddu, a political writer, told them that the initial result of the shelling that targeted the neighborhoods of Afrin injured six civilians to varying degrees”.

Yekiti reported the same figures, saying “six civilians were wounded when four mortar shells hit the center of the city of Afrin in Syrian Kurdistan on Tuesday evening.”

Sputnik – also blaming Turkey – put the number of “seriously wounded” at 10, including a female child.

Rok added that two Turkish rockets hit Afrin, while Step referred to “Turkish artillery” injuring several civilians, including a 10-year-old boy.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–10
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded civilian following an alleged Turkish mortar attack on Afrin, Aug 29th 2017. (via Rudaw)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Afrin (عفرين), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.511389, 36.864167. 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
    6–10
  • 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]