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

TS230

Incident date

February 26, 2018

Location

جيلمية, Celemeye, Jindires, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.356111, 36.769722 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported the injury of one civilian in an alleged Turkish shelling of Celemeye, Syria.

According to SDF Press, Turkey fired mortar shells on the village, “causing civilian casualties”.

7al reported that “the administration of the hospital Afrin said that the civilian Mohammed Omar Hamo (48 years) arrived at the hospital with several shrapnel wounds as a result of the bombing of the Turkish army on the village of Jalma, in the area of ​​Jindires”.

Yikiti media said that “many civilians were injured by this brutal bombing”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Omar Hammo
48 years old male injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–10
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Omar Hammo, injured in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Celemeye, Jindires, Afrin, 26th February 2018. (via Yikiti media)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Omar Hammo, injured in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Celemeye, Jindires, Afrin, 26th February 2018. (via IC AFrin resistance)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Omar Hammo, injured in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Celemeye, Jindires, Afrin, 26th February 2018. (via IC AFrin resistance)
  • Omar Hammo, injured in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Celemeye, Jindires, Afrin, 26th February 2018. (via IC AFrin resistance)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Celemeye, Jindires, Afrin (جيلمية), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.356111, 36.769722. 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
    1–10
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS229

Incident date

February 26, 2018

Location

يلنقوز, Yilanguz village, Jindires, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians including children died and a minimum of three other civilians were wounded in an alleged Turkish air strike on Yilanguz village, according to local media. The majority of sources said that a family of five died. One source (Evlin.Hassan) reported that “dozens were killed and wounded”.

IC Arrin Resistance tweeted a video in which the voiceover in Kurdish says: “the Turkish army committed another massacre in the town Jindiresse in Afrin, yesterday night at 3-4 a.m. Turkish warplanes bombed family houses, killing five civilians and wounding three more severely.”

In a second video, “a neighbour of the civilian victims states: ‘The Turkish warplanes only target civilians. There are no military forces here. The airstrikes have to be stopped!’”

ANHA and Rumaf also put the death toll at five, with Rumaf tweeting graphic images of the bodies of child victims.

Most sources put the death toll at five, though Yikiti Media said that two had died.

Rojava tweeted a video depicting “baby Clothes, children’s boots laying in the ruins and dust of Yelangoz village after Turkeys airstrikes and massacre on the village and its people today”.

According to the SDF press office, “Turkish invasion aircraft attacked the village of Yilanguz and targeted civilian houses, which carried out a massacre of civilians and children. The Kurdish Red Crescent teams are recovering the bodies from the rubble as of the time of preparing this report.”

Some other sources said that Turkey conducted artillery strikes on the village.

According to Evlin.Hassan, the death toll may have been even higher: it reported that there were “dozens of civilians killed and wounded.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 12
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–12
  • 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 (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The bodies of civilian casualties in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Yilanguz village, Jindires, Afrin, 26th February 2018. (via SDF)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Yilanguz village, Jindires, Afrin, 26th February 2018. (via Evlin.Hassan)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Yilanguz village, Jindires, Afrin, 26th February 2018. (via Evlin.Hassan)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Yilanguz village, Jindires, Afrin, 26th February 2018. (via Evlin.Hassan)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian casualty in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Yilanguz village, Jindires, Afrin, 26th February 2018. (via Evlin.Hassan)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian casualty in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Yilanguz village, Jindires, Afrin, 26th February 2018. (via Evlin.Hassan)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage showing the remains of civilian casualties, killed in alleged Turkish airstrike on Yilanguz village, Jindires, Afrin, 26th February 2018. (via Rojava)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage showing the remains of civilian casualties, killed in alleged Turkish airstrike on Yilanguz village, Jindires, Afrin, 26th February 2018. (via Rojava)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Yilanguz village, Jindires, Afrin, 26th February 2018. (via Anha)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Injured civilian in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Yilanguz village, Jindires, Afrin, 26th February 2018. (via Anha)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the subdistrict of Yilanguz village, Jindires, Afrin (يلنقوز), 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
    2 – 12
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–12
  • 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 (22) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS228

Incident date

February 25, 2018

Location

حج خليل, Haj Khalil village, Rajo district, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.678611, 36.683611 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian male was wounded in an alleged Turkish shelling of Haj Khalil, local media said.

According to Hawar News, “an elderly man has critically been wounded in Haj Khalil village in Rajo area due to the Turkish occupation army’s artillery bombing on the village.

Sources added that the victim was transferred to Afrin hospital for treatment.

Rumaf reported that he had suffered “burns in the face, hands and thighs” and was in “a dangerous condition”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Shukri Hajika
60 years old from the village of Haj Khalil injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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.

    An injured man with his face burnt following an alleged Turkish airstrike on Haj Khalil village, Rajo district, Afrin, 25th February 2018. (via Azadirojava) - PROPAGANDA
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured man with his face burnt following an alleged Turkish airstrike on Haj Khalil village, Rajo district, Afrin, 25th February 2018. (via Hawar)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured man with his face burnt following an alleged Turkish airstrike on Haj Khalil village, Rajo district Afrin, 25th February 2018. (via Rumaf)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured man with his face burnt following an alleged Turkish airstrike on Haj Khalil village, Rajo district Afrin, 25th February 2018. (via Rumaf)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured man with his face burnt following an alleged Turkish airstrike on Haj Khalil village, Rajo district Afrin, 25th February 2018. (via Rumaf)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Haj Khalil village, Rajo district, Afrin (حج خليل), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.678611, 36.683611. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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

TS226

Incident date

February 24, 2018

Location

عرب ويران, Arab Weyran, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.678333, 36.994444 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to IC Afrin resistance, “Mihemed Sido Yusif, from Rejio/Bedina, Fayiq Cafer from Shera/Arab Werane [Syria] and Durshata Mihemed Ali, also from Shera/Arab Werane, were heavily injured by Turkish jets.”

The victims were also named by Rojnews.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mihemed Sido Yusif
Age unknown from Rejio/Bedina injured
Fayiq Cafer
Age unknown from Shera/Arab Werane injured
Durshata Mihemed Ali
Age unknown also from Shera/Arab Werane injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

  • Translation: # Afrin Violent clashes continue in the village of Arab and Oran and Omra, which is part of the evil of Afrin between the fighters of the units of protection of the people and women on the one hand, the Turkish occupation army and mercenaries on the other, while the Turkish army planes bombed the region
  • An injured civilian in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Arab Weyran, Afrin, 24th February 2018. (via IC Afrin resistance)
  • An injured civilian in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Arab Weyran, Afrin, 24th February 2018. (via IC Afrin resistance)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured civilian in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Arab Weyran, Afrin, 24th February 2018. (via IC Afrin resistance)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured civilian in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Arab Weyran, Afrin, 24th February 2018. (via IC Afrin resistance)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Arab Weyran, Afrin (عرب ويران), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.678333, 36.994444. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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

TS227

Incident date

February 24, 2018

Location

عفرين, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

The Kurdish activist Claudia reported that a civilian on a motorbike was killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike in Afrin, Syria. The tweet said that “he was bringing some household items (a cylinder of gas and some food) to his family but the brutality of the invaders prevented his arrival to his family”.

Afrin Now also reported the death. According to the source, “a series of violations by the Turkish army against civilians continued in the area of Afrin. The Turkish aircraft targeted a citizen who was traveling on his motorcycle between the villages of Haj and Sanaa, resulting in his death and the burning of the body completely. As a result of the burns, the identity of the body has not yet been identified.”

The death was also reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

  • Translation: The brutality of the Turkish occupation A civilian was killed on the road between the villages of Haj al-Hasanah and Sannara between the two areas of Shih Jandrisa. He was targeted by the Turkish invasion plane. His body appeared to be on his bicycle beside the road, apparently bringing some household items to his family as a gas cylinder and some food.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the 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
  • 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

TS225

Incident date

February 24, 2018

Location

كوتانة، عفرين, Kotana, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.463611, 38.481944 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One child was killed and seven others were wounded in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Kotana, according to sources on the ground.

Hawar News reported “Ibrahim Rashid Rasho, a 4-year-old child, was killed as a result of the shelling. His brother Hussein Rasheed Rasho, aged 5, was also hit. Six others were wounded – they are named below.

IC resistance Afron provided detail on the attack, with testimony from the mother of the dead child: “The mother of the martyred child said that her husband and two children were shepherding the sheep, and she was cleaning the place where they were temporarily staying. She heard the sounds of jets in sky of the village, but she didn’t care as she said the Turkish jets were in the sky of Afrin all the time, However, this time the place where she was began to shake when the jet bombed a place near her. She then went out and saw her two children and husband covered with blood and unconscious. She and some villagers took her two children to the hospital in the center of Afrin city, and her husband stayed at the location of the strike until they could rescue him.”

The source said that Ibrahim Rashid Rasho later “died after direct injury in his jaw and a fragment on his chest”.

The Rasho family had reportedly fled their village of Cholakha due to Turkish artillery strikes and were seeking refuge in Kotana.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ibrahim Rashid Rasho
4 years old male killed
Hussein Rasheed Rasho
5 years old male injured
Mohammad Sido
Age unknown injured
Faik Jaafar
Age unknown injured
Durachta Mohammed
Age unknown injured
Rashid Mohammed Rasho
70 years old injured
Rashid Mohammed Hussein
15 years old injured
Mohamed Nour al-Din Shaaban
17 years old injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Rashid Rashid, killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Kotana, Afrin, 24th February 2018. (via IC Afrin resistance)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Rashid Rashid, killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Kotana, Afrin, 24th February 2018. (via Rumaf)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Rashid Rashid, killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Kotana, Afrin, 24th February 2018. (via Afrin Now)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Rashid Rashid, killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Kotana, Afrin, 24th February 2018. It is unclear to Airwars who the victim on the left is. (via Sot Kurdistan)
  • Hussein Rasheed Rasho 9 years old, injured in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Kotana, Afrin, 24th February 2018. (via Afrin1993)
  • Hussein Rasheed Rasho 9 years old, injured in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Kotana, Afrin, 24th February 2018. (via Afrin Now)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kotana, Afrin (كوتانة، عفرين), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.463611, 38.481944. 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 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS224

Incident date

February 23, 2018

Location

قسطل جاندو, Qastal Jando, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.630278, 37.017222 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media named two boys as wounded in an alleged Turkish shelling of Qastal Jando, Syria. However, these two boys were also named as wounded in event 107 at Kotana.

There is, therefore, currently confusion over the location in which the boys were wounded.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ali Muhammad Hassan
16 years old injured
Rashid Mustafa Rasho
15 years old injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Rashid Mustafa, injured in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Qastal Jando, 23rd February 2018. (via Rumaf)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Qastal Jando (قسطل جاندو), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.630278, 37.017222. 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
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS222

Incident date

February 23, 2018

Location

جنديرس,عفرين , Jindires, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

One civilian died in an alleged Turkish bombing of Jindires, Syria, according to local media.

On February 23rd, Hawar News said: “The Turkish occupation army is constantly bombarding the area of Gondrissa with planes and artillery. Hundreds of shells fall daily on the center and villages of the area. As a result of the Turkish bombardment of the center of the region last night, Arab citizen Abdul Razzaq Ibrahim died. He was born in 1973.”

The victim was also named by Afrin Now, IC Afrin Resistance, Xanimcan, Raqqa24 and Kurdhr.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdul Razzaq Ibrahim
Adult male Born 1973 killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 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 (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Ebdulrezaq Îbrahîm, killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Jindires, Afrin, 23rd February 2018. (via IC Afrin resistance)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Jindires, Afrin (جنديرس,عفرين ), 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
    1
  • (1 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 (6) [ collapse]