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

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

TS191

Incident date

February 13, 2018

Location

عفرين, city of Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians including one woman died and as many as ten others were wounded, including children, followed an alleged Turkish shelling of the city of Afrin, according to local media.

Reports said that the Turkish army carried out heavy artillery shelling on Tuesday evening February 13, 2018, targeting both the neighbourhoods of Ashrafieh and Trondi within the city of Afrin. The source Free Afrin also published pictures depicting damage left by the Turkish occupation army shells on the Afrin hospital square in Afrin. Other sources also reported artillery and rocket shelling in the vicinity of the hospital.

One victim was named by multiple sources as 35-year-old. Reports said that he was a taxi driver and that he was killed when his vehicle was hit. The civilian sitting next to him was reportedly wounded. Sources published images showing the damage to the car.

Meanwhile, Rojava reported the death of a woman and showed her husband mourning her body.

According to the Kurdish Red Crescent, the victims of the Turkish shelling were young people, some of whom died, others had shrapnel in their bodies, and others escaped. In addition to naming Radwan Omar Hussein as killed, the source said that 31-year-old and (a media activist/journalist) were injured.

Hodnnat citing Reuters reported, dozens of civilians were killed when the Turkish army shelled the outskirts of Afrin Hospital. This report, however, was the only one which put the death toll in double figures – and Airwars has not found the original Reuters report.

Other sources published graphic images of casualties, including children. Saleh Muslim said that a girl named Ruha was wounded and published a picture of blood covering her face.

Pleas note, some of these images are the same as those in the next incident TS192 on Heikja, Afrin. Airwars is unable to identify which images belong to which incident. 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

35 years old male via Kurdish red crescent killed
45 years old female via RuMaf killed
45 years old female via RuMaf killed
31 years old male via Kurdish red crescent injured
Adult male via Kurdish red crescent injured
50 years old male Via Afrin now injured
Child female Via Afrin now injured
Age unknown female via @SalihMaslem injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (1 woman2–3 men)
  • 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 (32) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (28) [ collapse]

  • A picture shows the car that targeted by the alleged Turkish shelling in Afrin on 13 February 2018. As a result, the driver was killed and the passenger wounded (source: ‏@maadsalum99)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows blood in the targeted car in which resulted in killing one civilian and wounded another following an alleged Turkish shelling on 13 February 2018 (source: ara yekiti media)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A video shows the moment of the alleged Turkish shelling on the hospital of the city of Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via pyd rojava‏)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows Haitham Mohammed Kzou, wounded followed an alleged Turkish shelling on the city of Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via @jwanmoustafa5)
  • An image shows the landed shelling on the ground near the hospital of Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via Kurdish red crescent)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows another man (Luqman Bakr), injured following the Turkish shelling near Afrin hospital on 13 February 2018 (via Kurdish red crescent).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows the victim Radwan Omar Hussein, killed fowled an alleged Turkish shelling on Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via Kurdish red crescent).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A video displays a new victim, killed followed an alleged Turkish shelling on Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via Kurdish red crescent).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows a wounded being treated by a doctor in the medical centre followed an alleged Turkish shelling in Afrin on 13 February 2018 (source: Kurdish red crescent).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows a wounded being treated in the medical centre followed an alleged Turkish shelling in Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via Kurdish red crescent).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows a wounded being treated by a doctor in the medical centre followed an alleged Turkish shelling in Afrin (source: Kurdish red crescent).
  • A picture shows the aftermath of the alleged Turkish shelling in Afrin on 13 February 2018 (source: Kurdish red crescent).
  • A picture shows Radwan Omar Hussein, killed followed an alleged Turkish shelling in Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via The war media centre for the SDF facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows another man (Luqman Bakr), injured following the Turkish shelling near Afrin hospital on 13 February 2018 (via The war media centre for the SDF facebook).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows Raha Mohammed, injured followed an alleged Turkish shelling on Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via Rumaf facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows Raha Mohammed being treated at the medical centre followed an alleged Turkish shelling on Afrin (source: Rumaf facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows Shukri Mohammed Mohammed, injured followed an alleged Turkish shelling on Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via Rumaf facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows a man in the medical centre, injured followed an alleged Turkish shelling on Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via RuMaf)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows a man in the medical centre, injured followed an alleged Turkish shelling on Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via RuMaf)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows a woman, injured followed an alleged Turkish shelling on Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via RuMaf)
  • A picture shows the moment of the landing the shelling on Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via Cahîda Dêrsim @dersi4m)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows Raha Mohammed being treated at the medical centre followed an alleged Turkish shelling on Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via Nuce news facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows a woman, killed followed an alleged Turkish shelling on Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via Nuce news facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows a man, injured on his head followed an alleged Turkish shelling on Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via Nuce news facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows a man, killed followed an alleged Turkish shelling on Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via Turkey untold)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An image shows a man, killed followed an alleged Turkish shelling on Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via Turkey untold)
  • A picture shows Raha Mohammed being treated at the medical centre followed an alleged Turkish shelling on Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via SH_OQ3)
  • A civilian man whose relatives reportedly were among the victims of the Turkish shelling og Afrin on 13 February 2018 (via Mutlu Civiroglu)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of 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
    1 – 5
  • (1 woman2–3 men)
  • 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 (32) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS188

Incident date

February 12, 2018

Location

بلبلة, Bulbul, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.770899, 36.818318 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a private report to Airwars, the Kurdish Red Crescent named the following one civilian as wounded in an alleged Turkish shelling of Bulbul:

‘Bashar Youssef, 27, various shrapnel wounds and a head injury’.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

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]

    • English
    • English

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Bulbul, Afrin (بلبلة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.770899, 36.818318. 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]

    • English
    • English

Incident Code

TS189

Incident date

February 12, 2018

Location

هيكجة, Heikja, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.5232944, 36.6012955 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Afrin Now reported the injury of one civilian, “Hussein Suleiman, 37 years old, from the village of Heikja, Shih district” in an alleged Turkish shelling near his home in Heikja village.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hussein Suleiman
37 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 subdistrict of Heikja, Afrin (هيكجة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.5232944, 36.6012955. 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

TS190

Incident date

February 12, 2018

Location

دررويش, Darwish village, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.635, 36.668056 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Afrin Now reported “the martyrdom of the civilian Haidar Kiuzu from the village of Darwish yesterday, as a result of Turkish shelling.”

PYD reported Turkish shelling of the village but made no mention of civilian casualties.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Haidar Kiuzu
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Haidar Kiuzu, killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Darwish village, Afrin, 12th February 2018. (via Afrin Now)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Darwish village, Afrin (دررويش), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.635, 36.668056. 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
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS187

Incident date

February 12, 2018

Location

معبطلي, Ma'abatli village, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.562634, 36.74562 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Six civilians were wounded in an alleged “Turkish bombardment of an olive oil factory”, according to Afrin Now. The victims were named by Afrin Now, Afrin Media Centre and Basnews.

According to PYD news, “the Turkish army bombed a factory for the olive industry in Moubata, ‘Maabtli’, which led to the injury of five workers in the factory, mostly displaced to Afrin.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Ahmed Jassem
20 years old male displaced from Abu Kamal injured
Hussein Mohammed Alo
32 years old male from Dumliya Village injured
Damhat Rashid Ali
21 years old from Dumliya Village injured
Jalal Ibrahim Sido
24 years old from the village of Abdana injured
Mohammed Ahmed Bahri
47 years old male from Sheikh Khutka injured
Muhammad Salloum Sharmuk
23 years old male Kafr Nasseh, Shrapnel in Mobata injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage of the wounded being treated in a medical facility in the aftermath of the alleged Turkish airstrike on Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 12th February 2018. (via Afrin Now)
  • Wounded civilian in the aftermath of the alleged Turkish airstrike on Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 12th February 2018. (via IC Afrinresistance)
  • Wounded civilian in the aftermath of the alleged Turkish airstrike on Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 12th February 2018. (via IC Afrinresistance)
  • Wounded civilian in the aftermath of the alleged Turkish airstrike on Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 12th February 2018. (via IC Afrinresistance)
  • Wounded civilian in the aftermath of the alleged Turkish airstrike on Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 12th February 2018. (via IC Afrinresistance)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Ma’abatli village, Afrin (معبطلي), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.562634, 36.74562. 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
  • 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

TS184

Incident date

February 11, 2018

Location

جنديرس, Jindires, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

In a private report to Airwars, the Kurdish Red Crescent reported that one civilian, named as 70-year old Mustafa Shkikho was hit by shrapnel in the chest and face as a result of an alleged Turkish shelling of Jindires, Syria. The source did not say whether the man was wounded or died.

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

    • English
    • English

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town 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 – 1
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

    • English
    • English

Incident Code

TS185

Incident date

February 11, 2018

Location

بيباكا, Bibaka, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.770899, 36.818318 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian male was wounded in an alleged Turkish artillery attack on his home in Bibaka village, according to a single source.

The victim, Şiyar Bekir, spoke to the source IC Afrin resistance: “My name is Siyar Bekir. I am from Bibaka village in Bilbil. Yesterday [February 11th] at 7:30 pm they threw mortars on my house. I don’t really know which weapon, maybe mortars, maybe rockets. I was injured here. My stomach was also injured and I got shrapnel in my leg. It was the Turkish army. They call us terrorists but we’re not. I normally fix the generators in my village. What did we do to them? We are civilians, not soldiers. And they threw five rockets on us.”

The incident occured at 19:30:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Şiyar Bekir
Age unknown 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]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Interview with the victim who was wounded by alleged Turkish strikes in Bibaka village, Aleppo on 11 February, 2018 (via IC Afrin resistance)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the subdistrict of Bibaka, Aleppo (بيباكا), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.770899, 36.818318. 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]