Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

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
text search
705 Results
sort by:
Sort by:
Incident date
Civilian deaths alleged
Civilian deaths confirmed by belligerent

Incident Code

TS484

Incident date

January 20, 2022

Location

عقيبة, Aqiba, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.4375, 36.968333 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A least one civilian, a girl, was injured in alleged Turkish strikes on the village of Aqiba on January 20, 2022.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a girl was seriously injured when Turkish forces struck the village of Aqiba, in addition to damaging a number of civilians’ homes.

Both Hawar News and Xeber24 also reported that Turkish forces bombed Aqiba village but neither source included information about casualties.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Aqiba (عقيبة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.4375, 36.968333. 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
    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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS517

Incident date

June 7, 2022

Location

ابين, Abin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.465074, 36.995558 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian, a woman, was injured in alleged Turkish shelling of the village of Abin on June 7, 2022.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a woman who was displaced from Afrin was injured when Turkish forces fired over 15 heavy artillery shells at Abin village, in addition to the damage of several civilians’ houses.

A local source told North-Press, “The injured woman, Naderat Zakaria (27 years), was hit by shrapnel in her forearms, in addition to material damage to the house of Abdel Salam Mustafa and Ahmed Abdo, who are residents of the village.” Afrin Post added that she was “slightly injured” and that the shell had fallen on her home.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the shelling to Turkish forces, and Afrin Post specified that the shelling was carried out by Turkish forces stationed in the villages of Gilbery and Merimin in the Shirawa district.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Family members (1)

Naderat Zakaria ندرت زكريا
27 years old female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Electromagnetic weapons
  • 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]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Abin (ابين), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.465074, 36.995558. 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
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Electromagnetic weapons
  • 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

TS546

Incident date

August 16, 2022

Location

قرية زورافا, Zorava village, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

A child was killed and up to seven others, including two children and a woman, were injured in alleged Turkish shelling of the city of Kobani and surrounding villages on August 16, 2022.

The Internal Security Forces in North and East Syria (Asayish) reported that artillery shelling of the city of Kobani resulted in the death of a 14 year old child and the injury of five civilians, including a woman and a child. The statement also pointed out that the shelling affected vital and service facilities.

According to Hawar News Agency, the child that was killed is Abid Muhammed Haji and the civilians injured in Kobane are aged between two and 40 years old. Hawar also specified the names of those injured: Abid Khalaf (40), Marwa Hamdo (40) from Seftik village, 2-year old child named Khalil Jihad Sheikho, and Ala Ibo (19). North Press Agency reported that at least two of the injured civilians were taken to Al-Amal Hospital.

A tweet from @Mustafa_Alali2 identified three people as being injured in addition to the child that was killed while Medya News reported that two civilians were hospitalized with severe injuries. The highest casualty count was that seven civilians were injured, including a woman and two children, provided by Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which potentially includes injuries from other incidents that occurred in Syria on the same day.

Media News quoted North Press who stated that five high explosive shells hit the neighborhood of Martyr Batman in Kobane in addition to other villages in the western countryside of the city.

Reuters reported that the shelling started overnight and intensified throughout the day, according to residents and the local administration. Dilvin, a shopkeeper and married mother of one, said chaos broke out in Kobane during the shelling: “People started running everywhere, cars everywhere, people asking about their friends and their family. Then the sounds started to build, the sounds were everywhere. There was so much screaming. So much fear. Now everyone is locked up at home.”

The majority of sources that reported on the incident attributed the shelling to Turkish forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abid Khalaf عبد خلف
40 years old injured
Marwa Hamdo مروى حمدو
40 years old from Seftik village injured
Khalil Jihad Sheikho
2 years old injured
Ala Ibo
19 years old injured
Abid Muhammed Haji عبد محمد حجي
12 years old killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • 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 (23) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (11) [ collapse]

  • Destruction caused by alleged Turkish shelling of Kobane on August 16, 2022. (Image posted by Rudaw News)
  • One of the civilians injured in alleged Turkish shelling of Kobane on August 16, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News Agency)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilians injured in alleged Turkish shelling of Kobane on August 16, 2022. (Image posted by @Mustafa_Alali2)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilians injured in alleged Turkish shelling of Kobane on August 16, 2022. (Image posted by @Mustafa_Alali2)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilians injured in alleged Turkish shelling of Kobane on August 16, 2022. (Image posted by @farhad_shami)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child killed in alleged Turkish shelling of Kobane on August 16, 2022. (Image posted by @farhad_shami)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of civilian victims of alleged Turkish shelling of Kobane on August 16, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News Agency)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child killed in alleged Turkish shelling of Kobane on August 16, 2022. (Image posted by Kamishli - Qamişlo via Facebook)

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
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • 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 (23) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS576

Incident date

December 3, 2022

Location

المجيبرة, Al Mujaibra, Al Hasakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.515970, 40.892380 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four children were reportedly injured on December 3rd 2022 as a result of an unexploded ordnance, a previous Turkish shell, which exploded in the village of al-Mujaibra in the countryside of the town of Tel Tamr, north of Al-Hasakah, in Syria.  The shell was reported to have hit the village that morning, but did not explode immediately.

The children were identified as Suleiman Nasr Shalo (11 years old), Badran Nasr Shello (15 years old),  Ali Mahmoud Shello (11 years old) and Khaled Mahmoud Shello (13 years old).

Local sources told North Press Agency that the injured children were taken to Tal Tamr Hospital for treatment and that their health conditions were stable.  ANHA English reported that ”

The child Suleiman Nasr Shalo was wounded by shrapnel in his left foot, while the child Ali Mahmoud Shalo was wounded in his left foot and right hand. The nurse in the intensive care unit, Ahmed Farhan, confirmed that their health condition is stable, and they will be discharged today from the hospital.

As for the two children, Khaled Shalo, who was wounded by shrapnel in the head, and the child Badran Shalo, who was wounded with shrapnel in the abdomen, they are subject to 48-hour medical observation”

The father of two of the children, Badran and Suleiman Shalo, said to ANHA English that “the Turkish occupation is constantly targeting the villages of North and East Syria, including the village of Al-Mujibra, and some of the shells fall and do not explode, which poses a threat to the lives of citizens.”

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Suleiman Nasr Shalo
11 years old male injured
Badran Nasr Shalo
15 years old male brother of Suleiman injured

The victims were named as:

Ali Mahmoud Shlo
11 years old male injured
Khaled Mahmoud Shlo
13 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Planted explosives and unexploded ordnance (UXO)
  • 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
    Turkish Forces

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Basnews reported that four children were injured after a previously unexploded Turkish shell exploded on December 3rd 2022 (Image via Basnews)
  • "Four children were injured as a result of a Turkish shell explosion, north of Al-Hasakah" (Image via NPA)
  • "Four children were injured as a result of a Turkish shell explosion, north of Al-Hasakah" (Image via NPA)
  • ANHA English reported that four children were injured after a previously unexploded Turkish shell exploded on December 3rd 2022.
  • "According to the correspondent of Hawar News Agency, four children were injured in the village of Al-Mujibra, northeast of Tal Tamr district of Al-Hasakah canton, when a shell exploded that had fallen earlier on the village but did not explode." (Image via ANF)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Mujaibra (المجيبرة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.515970, 40.892380. 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
    4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Planted explosives and unexploded ordnance (UXO)
  • 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
    Turkish Forces

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS606

Incident date

June 27, 2023

Location

جورين, Jourin, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.616010, 36.269336 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were injured by shelling allegedly carried out by the factions of the “Al-Fateh Al-Mubin” operations room, a Turkish sponsored militia, in Jourin in the Al-Ghab Plain region on June 27, 2023.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that two civilians were injured to varying degrees by shrapnel from rocket shells launched by factions of the “Al-Fateh Al-Mubin” operations room. The source added that the wounded were taken to the hospital.

A tweet from @Click_Syria reported that two civilians sustained “minor” injuries from the shelling as well as causing material damages to homes and property.

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
    2
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Jourin (جورين), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.616010, 36.269336. 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
    2
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS646

Incident date

October 7, 2023

Location

الرويمية, village Al-Ruwaymiya, Latakia, Latakia Governorate, Syria

Airwars assessment

On Saturday,  October 7th, 2023, a Syrian man named Afif Mali (Mualla) Ibrahim, and his wife Fayrouz Ali Hassan were killed during the shelling of the village Al-Ruwaymiya in the countryside of Latakia allegedly by the military group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, while their two sons and another girl were wounded. According to the local radio station, Sham FM, the couple died “as a result of an injury they sustained when a rocket shell fell on their house.”  The exact age of Afif Mali Ibrahim is unknown, but by the image shared by Syria Costal News Facebook account he appears as a man in his twenties.

There were different estimates of the number of the injured civilians. A report by Bahlouliya News mentioned that only the two sons of Afif Mali Ibrahim were wounded, while the Latakia Governorate wrote about one injured civilian. Salqin news and Facebook user Tartus reported about the four injured. The victims were treated in the hospitals in the city of Latakia.

The government news agency SANA claimed that the village was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades. A house in the village Al-Ruwaymiya was reportedly destroyed.

Local websites in Latakia accused the armed opposition group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham which is affiliated with the Turkish military of this attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Afif Ma’la Ibrahim عفيف معلا ابراهيم
Adult male killed
Fayrouz Ali Hassan فيروز علي حسن
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–4
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Source: Hussein Mohammed Deeb facebook
  • Source: Hussein Mohammed Deeb facebook
  • Source: Syria Costal news facebook
  • Source: Dihke facebook

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–4
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS150

Incident date

February 2, 2018

Location

شيرا, Shyra, Afrin, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

In a report shared with Airwars, the Kurdish Red Crescent named one civilian as wounded in Shyra, Syria.

The victim was listed as “Dalil Youssef Ali, 26, spine injury”.

The weapons used has not been reported.

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Dalil Youssef Ali
26 years old male 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 town of Shyra, Afrin, Aleppo (شيرا), 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
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS181

Incident date

February 10, 2018

Location

حج جمال, Haj Jammal, Mosaka, Kurre, Shadia and Bleeka villages, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.631473, 36.603298 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Military Council for Manbij reported that “in the past 24 hours, the villages of Haj Jamal, Musaka, Kurrê, Shadia and Blilka were the target of the indiscriminate invasion of Turkish warplanes targeting civilian houses. There are fears of civilians under the rubble of these villages. The traffic in the air prevents the arrival of ambulance teams to these villages and the removal of the bodies of civilians and wounded from the rubble.”

There are no other details at this time.

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 village of Haj Jammal, Mosaka, Kurre, Shadia and Bleeka villages, Afrin (حج جمال), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.631473, 36.603298. 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]