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

TI038B

Incident date

June 17, 2021

Location

سيدان, Sidan, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.086619, 43.930892 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were reported killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Sidan village, Amedi district on June 19 th 2020, according to local media reports.

Darkamazi.net named the three victims as Aazad Mahdi ShjiDamhat Omar Ormari and Mukhlis Adam Kukri. The source said that “on Friday, June 19th, 2020, the warplanes of the occupying Turkish state had targeted the areas of Niruh-Rikan and Barwari Bala, and that three martyrs from the people of Southern Kurdistan were near their villages.

Two citizens were killed in the vicinity of Sidan village in the Nairoh-Rikan region, and another citizen in Barwari Bala district, in the vicinity of the village of “Darkla Messi Bey”, was killed as a result of the Turkish shelling of the area.

Mahdi Rekani, the father of Azad Mahdi who was among the victims, said that “His son Azad Mahdi aged 26, and two friends, Mukhlis Adam and Deman Omar both aged 28, all construction workers, were heading to Shaji, a village in Sheladiz sub district, for a picnic. Rekani, who had been speaking to his son on the phone, said that between 10:00 and 11:30 a.m., Mahdi parked his car on a small road outside a village near Sida village. As they were walking from the car, an airstrike killed all three.”

Inzar, Mukhlis’ brother, told Rudaw English he was informed at 1 pm that Mukhlis had been killed in a Turkish airstrike. Inzar went to the site where he found the dead bodies of his brother and one of his friends.  Upon returning later he said he found the body of the another friend.

“When I reached the scene, I found out that two [bombs] hit the area – one hit a [pickup] vehicle and the other near it. However, no one was in the vehicle. There was a mobile phone in the vehicle, it belonged to one of the martyrs,” Rekani told Rudaw.

While collecting the bodies of his brother and his friends, Inzar said he saw PKK fighters arrive at the scene to retrieve their two dead colleagues.

Milat Rekani, who recorded footage of the aftermath, told Rudaw English: “I saw two other dead bodies which belonged to the PKK,” Rekani recounted, adding that the dead bodies of the PKK fighters were “charred.”

In April 2021, the Guardian published a piece on Turkey attacks in Iraq and interviewed the family of Mukhis Adam, whose daughter, three months old by the time of the interview, was born after he was killed.

According to the paper, “Adam’s car was hit by a Turkish airstrike while he was on the way to a picnic in June last year.”

His family burned the photographs they had of him in an act of grief.

Adam Gnych, who reported on the incident, provided Airwars with an excerpt from an interview with Dildar Abdy, Mukhlis’ brother: “On our way to the site of the bombing we saw a car coming the other way, we stopped it, there were two bodies in the car and they had a car license plate. We looked at the number and realised it was our (family) car. The body of Mukhlis was not inside the vehicle so we came back to Sheladze to check at the hospital. The people of Sheladze started a search for Muhlis’ body, due to the intensity of the explosion his body has been thrown a long way from the blast site… Everybody liked Mukhlis, nobody had any problems with him. He tried to work in order to support the family. He was a giving man and very easy to deal with… He studied until 9th grade (15 years old), he left because we were poor and we couldn’t pay for his studies.”

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

26 years old male killed
28 years old male killed
28 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (3 men)
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The family of Mukhlis Adam are seen at his grave in Sheladze. He was allegedly killed in a Turkish attack on June 19th, 2020. (via the Guardian).
  • Mukhlis Adam's daughter is seen surrounded by her aunts and uncles. She was born after he was killed in an allegedly Turkish airstrike. (via the Guardian).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Sidan (سيدان), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.086619, 43.930892. 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
    3
  • (3 men)
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS509

Incident date

May 22, 2022

Location

الطويلة, Tawila, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.650556, 40.271667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least three civilians, farmers, were injured in alleged Turkish shelling of the town of Tel Tamr on May 22, 2022.

North Press Agency reported that three civilians were wounded in Turkish shelling in the vicinity of the town of Tel Tamr. “A military source of Tel Tamr Military Council of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said that the Turkish shelling on the two villages of al-Gheibish and Tawila led to the injury of three civilians.” North Press Agency also provided the names of the victims: Ayman Ali Al-Ahmad, 25, Luay Khalil Hammad, 20, and Redwan Turki Al-Tukhaimi, 30, who were all hospitalized in the city of Hassakah.

One of the wounded, Luay, told Hawar News that “we returned again to harvest, and when we arrived at the field, shells rained down on us in the field, and we were hit by shrapnel, and other citizens were injured.” Luay also told Gire Sri that they were “heading on board a combine harvester to harvest wheat in a field”. Gire Sri News identified those injured as “3 farmers who were working in harvesting the wheat crop in a field”.

Haval Sedo reported that the three injured farmers were transferred to the Martyr Lykeren Hospital in Tel Tamer district.

Xeber24 added that the shelling occurred in the village of Tawila, Tal Tamr district, adjacent to the M4 international road in Rojava. Haval Sedo added that the artillery shelling caused a fire in the fields of the people in the village of Abush. According to @Rojava_Media, electric distribution centers that supply electricity to Tel Tamer were also bombed, with @SteeleSyAA added that the electricity transfer station was heavily damaged.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the shelling to Turkey. Kurdistan24 added that Turkish drones were flying overhead during the bombardment and a tweet from @war_watch_world reported that both artillery and mortar shells were used in the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ayman Ali Al-Ahmad أيمن علي الأحمد
25 years old injured
Luay Khalil Hammad لؤي خليل حماد
20 years old injured
Redwan Turki Al-Tukhaimi رضوان تركي الطهيمي
30 years old injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by shelling on Tel Tamr on May 22, 2022. (Image posted by North Press Agency)
  • Civilians injured in alleged Turkish shelling of Tel Tamr on May 22, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • Alleged Turkish strikes on Tel Tamar on May 22, 2022. (Image posted by @SteeleSyAA)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tawila (الطويلة), for which the generic coordinates are; 36.650556, 40.271667. 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
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS530

Incident date

July 24, 2022

Location

الاسدية, Al Asadiya, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.776363, 40.130898 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians, including two children and their father, were injured in alleged Turkish shelling of al-Asadiya village in Zarkan district on July 24, 2022.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the bombardment resulted in the injury of eight civilians, including a woman and two children, in the area from Abu Rasin (Zarkan) to Tel Tamr countryside. However, the source did not specify whether the injuries occurred in in Tel Tamr or Zarkan district.

A Facebook post by Dijla-Syrian desert provided the names of four people injured: Mohammed Muayyad Abdullah (7 years), Tayseer Muayyad Abdullah (5 years), the father Muayyad Abdullah (32 years), and Muhammad Qasim (20 years).

A military source told North Press that one of Syrian army soldiers lost his life due to the Turkish shelling on al-Asadiya and a medical source in Martyr Khabat Hospital in Derbasiyah told North Press that four wounded people including two children reached the hospital due to the Turkish shelling.

Hawar News reported that “a member of the Damascus government forces was killed and 4 others, including 2 children and their father, were wounded in Zarghan district.”

North Press Agency identified the villages of Qabr al-Khedrawi, Tel Hermel, al-Asadiya, Mushairfa Zarkan, Tel al-Amir, Bsais and Harmallah as being shelled by Turkish forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Mohammed Muayyad Abdullah محمد مؤيد عبد الله
7 years old injured
Tayseer Muayyad Abdullah تيسير مؤيد عبد االله
5 years old injured
Muayyad Abdullah مؤيد عبد الله
32 years old male injured

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Qasim محمد قاسم
20 years old 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
    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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by alleged Turkish shelling of the villages of Zarkan on July 24, 2022. (Image posted by Dijla-Syrian desert via Facebook)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention strikes on the village of Al Asadiya (الاسدية), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.776363, 40.130898. 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
    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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS561

Incident date

October 14, 2022

Location

الفكة, Al Fakkah, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.728188, 40.399893 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two farmers were injured when alleged Turkish artillery shells struck their agricultural land in the village of Al-Fakkah on October 14, 2022.

Hawar News reported that two farmers were wounded when Turkish forces bombed the village of Al-Fakkah, north of Tal Tamer District. Local residents told Hawar the the two injured civilians, Dhiyab Khalaf al-Darwish (40 years old) and Hajj Yassin al-Darwish (40 years old), were injured while working on their agricultural land and were transferred to Al-Shahida Lycrin Hospital for treatment.

Lou’i Bakr, a director of a hospital in Tel Tamr, told North Press that the Turkish forces targeted with several shells the village of Al-Fakkah, resulting in the injury of two farmers on their land. At the time of the reporting, the condition of the wounded civilians was not known yet.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Dijla-Syrian desert also reported that two civilians were wounded by Turkish forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

40 years old injured
40 years old injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • 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]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Fakkah (الفكة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.728188, 40.399893. 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 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

TS603

Incident date

June 14, 2023

Location

village of Shourik, Al Hassaka, Syria

Airwars assessment

Four civilians were injured by alleged Turkish drone strikes on the village of Shourik on June 14, 2023.

North Press Agency reported that a Turkish drone carried out a strike near a cement factory in the village of Shourik resulting in casualties. A medical source told North Press that an injured man named Ahmad Saleh Abdullah was brought to al-Salam Hospital in Qamishli city for treatment and that his health condition was stable. The victim is described as an IDP from the city of Aleppo who lives in the town of al-Qahtaniyeh (Tirbe Spiye).

According to Hawar News, four civilians were injured by Turkish strikes on the Qamishlo-Tirbespiyê road, which caused damage to a number of passing cars on the road. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights refer to the “targeted” vehicle as a military vehicle, but did not specify whether those affected were civilians or militants.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the strikes to Turkish drones.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmad Saleh Abdullah
Age unknown male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A vehicle destroyed by alleged Turkish drone strikes on the village of Shourik on June 14, 2023. (Image posted by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights)
  • A vehicle destroyed by alleged Turkish drone strikes on the village of Shourik on June 14, 2023. (Image posted by Hawar News)

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS628

Incident date

September 6, 2023

Location

قرية طحمة, Tahna village, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

Three children were injured by alleged Turkish shelling of Tahna village on September 6, 2023. At the time of reporting, all three children were in the intensive care unit in serious condition.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that three children from the same family were seriously injury by Turkish shelling of Tahna village and were taken to Al-Barkal hospital in Manbij city for treatment.

ANF reported the names of the children injured according to hospital records: Weam Al-Jassem (15 years old), Ibrahim Al-Jassem (12 years old), and Jalal Al-Jassem (14 years old).

The administrator and assistant surgeon at Al-Barkal Hospital, Ahmed Al-Ali, told ANF that two of the children’s were opened because of the presence of shrapnel, and two of the children had their spleens removed. He also said The first child, Weam Al-Jassem, has an injury to the kidney and stomach and had his spleen removed. The other child, Jalal Al-Jassem, has the same injuries, but his kidney is more damaged. There is a possibility that we will remove it within the next 24 hours, but now we are waiting in the hope that it will return to work and if it stops completely. The third child, Ibrahim Al-Jassem, was subjected to a chest explosion due to a bad wind.”

News of north and east of Syria posted on Facebook that the medical staff treating the children said “We are making efforts to save their lives.”

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Weam Al-Jassem وئام الجاسم
15 years old injured
Ibrahim Al-Jassem إبراهيم الجاسم
12 years old injured
Jalal Al-Jassem جلال الجاسم
14 years old injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Children being treated for serious injuries following alleged Turkish shelling of the village of Tahna on September 6, 2023. (Image posted by Hawar News)

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
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS023

Incident date

December 15, 2016

Location

الباب, Al Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The ISIS-affiliated media propaganda outlet Al A’amaq reported one civilian dead and others injured as a result of a Turkish bombardment of Al Bab.

It wrote: “One person killed and eight injured following Turkish bombardment targeting al Bab in the Aleppo countryside this afternoon.”

There are no other known details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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 city of Al Bab (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.51631. 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
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS082

Incident date

February 17, 2017

Location

الباب, Al Bab city, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four and nine civilians including one woman died in alleged Turkish strikes on Al Bab, according to local media.

The victims were also named by Syrian Human Rights Committee, who blamed Turkey as well.

In a MTV Lebanon video on February 17th – at 0’15, the voice over states that  “the Turkish army announced that it is near to completing the operation of taking control of the city of al Bab From Daesh.  Nine civilians were killed. Ankara reported the deaths of 13 members of Daesh”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Abd al Basset al Bakri
Age unknown male named by Al Bab and its outskirts coordination group on Facebook killed
Zaher Mohammad Juma’a Sheikh Wees
Adult male named by Al Bab and its outskirts coordination group on Facebook killed
Amina al Kalzi
Adult female Zaher’s wife, named by Al Bab and its outskirts coordination group on Facebook killed
Age unknown male named by Al Bab and its outskirts coordination group on Facebook killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 9
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • News bulletin of the incident on Al Bab with alleged Turlish airstrike on 17th Feb 2017. (via MTV Lebanon)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Bab city (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.51631. 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
    4 – 9
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]