Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

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

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Incident Code

TS443

Incident date

August 1, 2020

Location

عين عيسى, Ain Issa, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.38743, 38.86302 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that three children were injured in alleged Turkish forces and/or Turkey-backed forces artillery strikes on Ain Issa on August 1st, 2020. One of them is in a critical condition.

“The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored, this evening, artillery shelling carried out by the Turkish forces and the factions loyal to them, targeting the vicinity of Ain Issa city, north of Raqqa, which resulted in the injury of 3 children, with varying wounds.”

ANHA reported that a mortar shell from remnants of shelling on Ain Issa exploded injuring three children who seem to all be from the same family.”A mortar shell exploded this evening from the bombing of mercenary groups in the vicinity of Ain Issa district, with a group of children while they were in the area. As a result, the explosion wounded three children, one of them seriously. They are Hossam Ali aged 12, Mahdi Ali aged 10 and Muhammad Ali aged 11.”

The incident occured at 18:20:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Hussam Ali
12 years old male injured
Mahdi Ali
10 years old male injured
Muhammad Ali
11 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
  • Suspected targets
    Assad regime, YPG/SDF

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Shelling allegedly by Turkish forces on Ain Issa on August 1st led to the injury of three children who were moved to hospital. One of them is in a critical condition. (Via ANHA)
  • Shelling allegedly by Turkish forces on Ain Issa on August 1st led to the injury of three children who were moved to hospital. One of them is in a critical condition. (Via ANHA)
  • Shelling allegedly by Turkish forces on Ain Issa on August 1st led to the injury of three children who were moved to hospital. One of them is in a critical condition. (Via ANHA)
  • One of the three children wounded by alleged shelling by Turkish forces on Ain Issa on August 1st, 2020. (Via ANHA)
  • Images of shelling by Turkish forces on Ain Issa on August 1st, 2020. (via @smmsyria).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Ain Issa (عين عيسى), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.38743, 38.86302. 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
    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
  • Suspected targets
    Assad regime, YPG/SDF

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI044

Incident date

August 1, 2020

Location

Bakira, Duhok, Iraq

Geolocation

37.09335, 43.48829 Note: The accuracy of this location is to District level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were killed in alleged Turkish airstrikes on a civilian vehicle near Bakira, Dohuk governorate, on August 1st, 2020, according to local sources.

Hawar News wrote that “The Turkish occupation army planes bombed a civilian car this evening in the Bakira community in the Amedi district of the Dohuk governorate in southern Kurdistan. According to preliminary information, the bombing resulted in the complete destruction of the vehicle and the loss of two people inside the car.”

@YilmazG04099451 tweeted that “fighter jets belonging to the occupying Turkish state targeted a civilian vehicle in Amêdiyê. It was reported that 2 civilians in the vehicle were killed as a result of the attack.”

The Rojava Network also reported at least two killed civilians.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

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

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Bakira community, allegedly within the Amêdiyê district. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates of Amêdiyê are: 37.09335, 43.48829.

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
    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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI045

Incident date

August 3, 2020

Location

Nohadra, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

36.856117, 42.980832 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source reported that civilians died in alleged Turkish airstrikes on civilian vehicles in Nohadra, Duhok governorate, on August 3rd, 2020.

Syria C Press wrote that “more civilians were killed on Monday in Nohadra (Duhok) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq as a result of the ongoing Turkish military operation in northern Iraq after their car was targeted by a Turkish air strike.”

Currently, further information is unavailable.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Nohadra, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.856117, 42.980832. 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
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS444

Incident date

August 4, 2020

Location

Efdikê, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.686867, 38.781567 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was allegedly injured by Turkish shelling on Afdko, west of Tal Abyad.

ANHA wrote: “Our agency correspondent reported that, in the meantime, the Turkish occupation army and its mercenaries are bombing the village of Afdko, located to the west of Tel Abyad.

Our correspondent explained that the shelling hit civilians and their homes, and said that preliminary information indicates that a civilian was injured, amid the continued shelling.”

Hogir necar tweeted similar information.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    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 (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Efdikê, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.686867, 38.781567. 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
    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 (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS445

Incident date

August 6, 2020

Location

قامشلي, Electrical cables manufacturing facility, Qamishli, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

37.056958, 41.261204 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was allegedly injured by a Turkish drone strike on Qamishli.

ANHA reported: “On Thursday evening, an explosion was heard at about 18:30 in the Swiss Canal neighborhood, east of Qamishlo, which was found to have been caused by a shell fired by a drone belonging to the Turkish occupation at a civilian electrical cables manufacturing facility. In addition, one of the workers was wounded in the bombing.

The citizen Sheikh Zein, one of the workers of the facility, explained to our agency ANHA: There was a drone hovering over the facility for several hours, then the facility was bombarded by a shell and one of our comrades was seriously injured and he was transferred to the hospital.’

Sheikh Zein emphasized that the facility is civilian and dozens of residents work there, denouncing the acts of the Turkish occupation against the civilians.”

Ahval said: “The drone strike hit a fuel company in the Allaya neighbourhood, injuring a man who was transferred to a hospital for treatment and causing property damage, Kurdistan 24 cited an unnamed local security forces commander as saying.”

7al wrote: “Today, Thursday, a civilian was lightly injured as a result of a shell landing in the Alaya neighborhood, near a building belonging to the fuel organization in the Autonomous Administration, east of the city of Qamishli.

According to residents of the neighborhood, ‘the 35-year-old civilian was injured by shrapnel and was taken to the’ Martyr Khabat ”hospital in Qamishli for treatment.”

North Press Agency said the injured was 40 years old.

SANA said the injury was caused by mortar shelling instead of a drone.

Steele Maiko posted on Facebook that it was rocket artillery.

The incident occured at approximately 6:30 pm local time.

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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (25) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (14) [ collapse]

  • Video showing the aftermath of the strike
  • Shrapnel from alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via ANHA)
  • Shrapnel from alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via ANHA)
  • Shrapnel from alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via ANHA)
  • Shrapnel from alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via ANHA)
  • Damage from alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via ANHA)
  • Impact of alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via ANF)
  • Impact of alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via NPA)
  • Surrounding area of alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via Zana Al-Ali)
  • Surrounding area of alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via Zana Al-Ali)
  • Surrounding area of alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via Zana Al-Ali)
  • Fragments of alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via Kurdistan 24)
  • Smoke rising after alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via Zana Al-Ali)

Geolocation notes (5) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention an electrical cables manufacturing facility being struck in the Allaya (علايا) neighbourhood of Al Qamishli (القامشلي). Using audio-visual material from sources we have narrowed this location down to a possible site, for which the coordinates are: 37.056958, 41.261204. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention an electrical cables manufacturing facility being struck in the Allaya (علايا) neighbourhood of Al Qamishli (القامشلي). Using audio-visual material from sources we have narrowed this location down to a possible site.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • Matching objects to audio-visual material, however with limited satellite imagery from 2019 we are unable to confirm the exact placement, especially if new buildings have been constructed between images taken.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • Matching objects to satellite imagery, however with limited satellite imagery from 2019 we are unable to confirm the exact placement, especially if new buildings have been constructed between images taken.

    Imagery:
    ANHA

  • Tagged visual material.

    Imagery:
    Zana Al-Ali

  • Tagged satellite imagery.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (25) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI046

Incident date

August 11, 2020

Location

Bradost region, Erbil , Iraq

Geolocation

36.747413, 44.398155 Note: The accuracy of this location is to District level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least five civilians were killed in alleged Turkish drone strikes in the Bradost region, Erbil governorate, on August 11th, 2020, according to local sources. The civilians died alongside five Iraqi border guards and five Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) members.

Armen Press reported that 15 people were killed in a Turkish drone strike in northern Iraq Iraqi, adding that there were five civilians, five border guards and five PKK members among the victims.

AFP reported that “two high-ranking Iraqi officers were killed Tuesday in what the army said was a ‘blatant Turkish drone attack’ in the autonomous Kurdish region, where Ankara has for weeks been raiding militant positions. The strike killed two border guard battalion commanders and the driver of their vehicle, the army said in a statement.”

Rudaw wrote that “an unmanned drone targeted a meeting between Iraqi border officials and Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters and a military vehicle in the northern Erbil province’s Bradost area Tuesday afternoon, officials confirmed.” The mayor of Sidakan, Ihsan Chalabi, identified the two killed officials as Kurds Zubair Hali Bradosti and Mohammed Rashid Sulaiman.

@YourAnonAlerts wrote that a civilian father and his son had been killed in the strikes.

The drone strikes reportedly followed on a shooting between PKK fighters and Iraqi border guards the night before.

Global Village Space reported that “Iraq cancelled a ministerial visit and summoned Turkey’s ambassador as it blamed Ankara for a drone strike that killed two high-ranking Iraqi officers on Tuesday. As the number of civilians killed in the Turkish military campaign increases, Iraq grows increasingly weary.”

The incident occured in the afternoon.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • 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
    Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    5–10

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Photo taken near Bradost, shortly after the alleged Turkish drone strikes on August 11th, 2020 (via Rudaw).
  • Translation: “Two Iraqi military officers and seven civilians were killed and many were wounded in the past two months, as a result of air strikes launched by Turkish forces inside the territory of the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The Iraqi government and the Arab countries should not turn a blind eye to all this” (via @bestoon_khalid).

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the Bradost region, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.747413, 44.398155. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention the Bradost region.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • 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
    Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    5–10

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI047

Incident date

August 14, 2020

Location

أرادن‎, Araden, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.10894, 43.31806 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to three people were killed and another person was injured in alleged Turkish airstrikes on a vehicle in the village of Ardana, Dohuk governorate, on August 14th, 2020. It remains unclear whether the victims were civilians.

Rudaw reported: “The director of Bamerni district, Hamid Zubeir, told Rudaw Media Network that Turkish planes targeted a Hyundai Tucson car inside the village at 11 AM this Friday, in which three people were travelling. He added that the bombing resulted in the killing of two of them and the third was seriously wounded, and their identities are not known, indicating that the security authorities have begun investigating the incident.”

The PUK Media correspondent in Dohuk also reported that “the bombing resulted in the death of two people travelling on the vehicle, and another person was severely wounded.”

@Dersi4m, however, wrote that three people inside the vehicle were killed and another one was injured.

Currently, further information is unavailable to Airwars.

The incident occured at approximately 11:00 am local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–3
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–1

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Ardana, Dohuk governorate, on August 14th, 2020 (via @Dersi4m).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Araden (أرادن‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.10894, 43.31806. 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 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–3
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–1

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS446

Incident date

August 17, 2020

Location

M4 غرب عين عيسى, M4, West of Ain Issa, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.385278, 38.859444 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Deaths and injuries among civilians were reported by local sources as a result of alleged Turkish forces and Turkey-backed militants shelling of Ain Issa, in Raqqa, Syria on August 17th, 2020.

While most sources reported that two civilians were wounded, others reported deaths without a specific number.

@dersi4m tweeted that ‘theTurkish army and it’s jihadist groups shelled this evening the villages Abu Sira, Dibis and the surrounding of the Highway M4 in western of Ain Issa town.Two civilians have been wounded (ANHA).’

@RojavaSiyamend said that ‘Turkish forces bombard Ain Issa town areas with heavy weapons, directly targeting civilians. There are wounded and dead.’

No further information is available yet.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

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

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention areas being struck along the M4 highway, among them Abu Surra (ابو سيرا) and Dibis, in the western vicinity of Ain Issa (عين عيسى) town. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Ain Issa are: 36.385278, 38.859444.

  • Reports of the incident mention areas being struck along the M4 highway, among them Abu Surra (ابو سيرا) and Dibis, in the western vicinity of Ain Issa (عين عيسى) town.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

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