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

TI077

Incident date

February 15, 2022

Location

شيلادزي, Shiladze, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.034762, 43.779316 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one man was killed in alleged Turkish strikes near the town of Shiladze in Amedi district on February 15th 2022, according to local reports.

Hawar News quoted Roj News Agency, which reported that Hussain Haider (Hussein Rikani) was killed in Turkish bombings of the villages in the Shiladze district of Başûr.

North Press Agency reported that Haider, the civilian killed in the airstrikes, was a resident of the Siri complex in Shiladze district and was married and had ten children, according to press reports. Alyaum TV add that was found in the “Neroh and Rikan area” and that he was 50 years old.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Hussain Haider (Hussein Rikani) حسين حيدر (حسين ريكاني)
50 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    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

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Image of Hussain Haider (Hussein Rikani), killed in airstrikes on the Shiladze district of Başûr on February 15, 2022. (Image posted by @sheladze__)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the area of Shiladze (شيلادزي), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.034762, 43.779316. 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
    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

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS519

Incident date

June 20, 2022

Location

راجو, Rajo, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

A man was killed when an alleged Turkish armored vehicle ran him over while he was walking in the town of Rajo of Afrin on June 20, 2022.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a civilian from Rajo district in Afrin was killed when a Turkish armored vehicle ran over him in the center of Rajo district. SOHR added that the civilian that was killed owned a food shop in Rajo district.

Baladi News correspondent in Aleppo countryside said that a man in his fifties named “Rasheed Mahk“, nicknamed “Abu Subhi”, was run over by a Turkish armored vehicle while it was passing through the town’s market. The incident occurred in the morning in front of the military police headquarters.

A local source told Ezdina that ” the Turkish military vehicle deliberately ran over the civilian, and although the driver of the Turkish vehicle stopped, he did not attempt to rescue him”. All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the death to a Turkish military vehicle.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

"Rasheed Mahk", nicknamed "Abu Subhi" "رشيد محك" الملقب "أبو صبحي"
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Accidents related to conflict, Use of objects and other means
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of "Rasheed Mahk", nicknamed "Abu Subhi"was killed when a Turkish armored vehicle ran him over in the Rajudistrict of Afrin on June 20, 2022. (Image posted by Baladi News)
  • "Rasheed Mahk", nicknamed "Abu Subhi"was killed when a Turkish armored vehicle ran him over in the Rajudistrict of Afrin on June 20, 2022. (Image posted by Ezdina)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Rajo (راجو), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.676477, 36.664002. 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
    Ground operation
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Accidents related to conflict, Use of objects and other means
  • 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

TS547

Incident date

August 16, 2022

Location

زركان, Zarkan, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.846389, 40.326944 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A child was injured in alleged Turkish shelling of the Zarkan sub-district on August 16, 2022.

Hawar News Agency reported that in the Zarkan sub-district, 11 year old Tamim Faisal Hamad was wounded by Turkish shelling on the district’s center. There was no other information available about victims of the shelling.

North Press Agency cited a military source who said that three Turkish shells hit a village in Zarkan.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Tamim Faisal Hamad تميم فيصل حمد
11 years old 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
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the district of Zarkan (زركان), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.846389, 40.326944. 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
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI089

Incident date

December 2, 2022

Location

جبل اسوس شارباجار, Mount Assos, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian was killed and up to five others were injured in alleged Turkish airstrikes/drone strikes on Mount Assos on December 2, 2022.

The mayor of Charbajar, Shaho Othman, told Kurdistan 24  that three people were wounded and three civilians were missing following Turkish airstrikes on Mount Assos. Kurdistan 24 later revised their casualty count to one person killed and two others wounded, adding that four people were hunting in the mountain and hiding in the cave of Kelashin when the strikes occurred and that one person is still missing.

Kurdistan Revolution posted on Facebook that a civilian named Aziz Muhammad Rasool who worked as a farmer was killed and two others were injured.

A tweet from @cptiraq reported that six civilians were victims of the bombing, with one civilian killed (Aziz Muhamed) and five others injured (Muhamad Kadir, Kwexa Muhamad, Zana Muhamad, Saeed Muhamad and Salih Kadir).

Roj News Agency, quoting the mayor of Mawat district Kamiran Hassan, reported that a group of civilians were collecting wild herbs in the village of Kalala when Turkish airstrikes hit. Mayor Kamiran Hassan told Rudaw News Network that one civilian was killed and one was injured from the bombing, and that the victims were from the village of Qamish. Medya News put the casualty toll at two civilians killed and three injured, adding that medial teams could not rescue them until late in the day because of fear of a second bombardment.

The majority of sources attributed the incident to Turkish forces, with Rudaw News pointing out that it was unknown whether the bombing was carried out by warplanes or drones.

The incident occured around midday.

The victims were named as:

Aziz Muhammad Rasool عزيز محمد رسول
Age unknown killed
Muhamad Kadir
Age unknown injured
Kwexa Muhamad
Age unknown injured
Zana Muhamad
Age unknown injured
Saeed Muhamad
Age unknown injured
Salih Kadir
Age unknown injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    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

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Alleged strikes on Mount Assos on December 2, 2022. (Image posted by Kurdistan24)
  • Location of alleged Turkish drone strikes on December 2, 2022. (Image posted by @cptiraq)
  • One of the victims of the alleged Turkish strikes near Zarun village on December 2, 2022. (Image posted by @cptiraq)

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    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

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS614

Incident date

July 23, 2023

Location

قرية أبين/ بينه, village of Abyan/Bineh, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

On 23 July 2023, a female civilian was reportedly injured by Turkish artillery fire in the village of Abyan/Bineh in the Sherawa district.

According to the Afrin Human Rights Organisation, 21-year old Kurdish woman Hevin Hamo Shrou from the village of Qibariyeh was injured by shrapnel in the foot as a result of artillery fire. Hevin had been residing in the village of Abyan/ Bineh after being forcibly displaced from her home in Afrin in 2018 and was transferred to hospital for treatment.

Afrin Human Rights Organisation specifically attributed the shelling to Turkish forces stationed in the village of Jalber, and identified four mortar shells as being used in the attack.

Similar details were reported by a series of sources, including a local Facebook post, the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights and a report from the Domiz camp.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hevin Hamo Shrou هيفين حمو شرو
21 years old female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp
  • 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

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Hevin Hamo Shrou who sustained a foot injury from alleged Turkish shelling of Bineh on July 23, 2023. (Image posted by البارتي في مخيم دوميز Domiz camp 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 infrastructure
    IDP or refugee camp
  • 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

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS648

Incident date

October 9, 2023

Location

قرية المستور, Al-Mastoor village, near Ain Essa district, Hasakah, al-Hasakah, Syria

Airwars assessment

In the afternoon of Monday, October 9th, 2023, an alleged Turkish artillery strike reportedly killed two children –  a girl named Nadia Mohsen Al-Ayyash (aged 8-10, according to different sources) and a boy named Ali Ahmed Al-Ayyash (aged 6-9) in the village of Al-Mastour located in the western outskirts of the city of Ain Issa, Syria. Additionally, in the same attack, a boy was seriously injured and transferred to a hospital in the city of Raqqa, as reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

A resident of Ain Issa said in a comment to North Press Agency that the two children who were killed in the incident were cousins. He added that the artillery shelling targeted populated villages on the contact line in the Ain Issa countryside.

Social media sources, including ANha Arabic, Shahba Alez and RPJ Rojava posted graphic images of the deceased children.

Where the sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to the Turkish military.

The exact local time of the incident is unknown.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ali Ahmed Al-Ayyash علي احمد العياش
9 years old male killed
Nadia Mohsen Al-Ayyash نادية محسن العياش
10 years old female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • 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

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Shahba Alez facebook

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Shahba Alez facebook

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Shahba Alez facebook

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Shahba Alez facebook

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: RPJ Rojava facebook

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: RPJ Rojava facebook

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Warning: very graphic video

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
  • (2 children)
  • 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

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS054 RS1847a

Incident date

January 18, 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

A single source, Halab News, reported eight of the nine civilians in “Russian enemy raids” in Tadef, Syria. It also named the victims.

According to Al Jazeera, “The Russian and Turkish air forces, for the first time, carried out a joint operation against militants of the Islamic State Organization in Bab in countryside of, Aleppo, in an agreement with the Syrian regime, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.”

However, the US-led Coalition also reportedly carried out strikes on Al Bab. Shahed-ayan.co reported: “The United States-led International Alliance announced on Tuesday (January 17th) that it had launched four air raids for the first time near the city of Bab in support of the Turkish-led military operation against the Da’ash organization in northern Syria. ‘We have spotted targets near Bab al-Bab in cooperation with Turkey, and we expect to continue this type of raid,’ said coalition military spokesman Col. John Durian at a news conference in Baghdad.
‘We noticed an opportunity in which it was in our common interest to destroy those targets, which included an armored personnel carrier and tactical units of the organization,’ Durian said.”

According to Terror Monitor, “AR ISIS published photos claiming to be targeting heavy weapons in the west of the city of Bab in the countryside of Aleppo.”

Misrin Post added that the regime also carried out raids on Tadef.

However, none of these sources made any mention of civilian harm.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ibrahim Hassan al Zein
Age unknown male named by Halab News reported as killed by Russian forces killed
Ahmad Jumaa al Zein
Age unknown male named by Halab News reported as killed by Russian forces killed
Abd al Hamid Rahmo Dalati
Age unknown male named by Halab News reported as killed by Russian forces killed
Hussam Mohammad Sobhi al Othman
Age unknown male named by Halab News reported as killed by Russian forces killed
Wife of Mahmoud al Eido
Age unknown female named by Halab News reported as killed by Russian forces killed
Daughter of Mahmoud al Eido
Age unknown female named by Halab News reported as killed by Russian forces killed
Ahmad Wahab al Raziya
Age unknown male named by Halab News reported as killed by Russian forces killed
Yahiya Ahmad Khalilo
Age unknown male named by Halab News reported as killed by Russian forces killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • "The military aircraft of the regime forces targeted several raids in the city of Bab in the countryside of eastern Aleppo." (via mersin_post)
  • ISIS published photos claiming to be targeting heavy weapons in the west of the city of Bab in the countryside of Aleppo. (via TerrorMonitorAR)

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

Original strike reports

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

Wednesday 18 January – Tornados destroyed a terrorist armed truck near Al Bab in Syria…Surveillance and strike operations have also been maintained against Daesh in Syria, and on Wednesday 18 January, Tornados conducted an armed reconnaissance patrol near Al Bab, where they used a Paveway IV to destroy an armed truck which Daesh had attempted to conceal in a vehicle shelter.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS074

Incident date

February 6, 2017

Location

الباب, Al Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.5179666 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, Ahmad Bathish died in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Al Bab, Syria.

Al Bab 24 wrote that “Ahmad Bathish died following Turkish shelling on Al Bab today [Feb 6th].”

Al Bab Coordination also named him in a victims’ list posted on Facebook – but didn’t identify who was responsible for his death.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmad Bathish
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Ahmad Bathish, killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Al Bab, 6th Feb 2017. (via Al Bab 24)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Bab (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.5179666. 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

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]