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

TI071

Incident date

September 7–8, 2021

Location

سينة موكة, Sinamoka, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

Geolocation

36.41559, 45.02261 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to two civilians were killed and up to two others were injured in alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Sinamoka, Sulaymaniyah district on September 7, 2021, according to local media reports.

According to Roj News, two civilians were injured in the Turkish bombing of the village of Sinamoka that involved three airstrikes. Baghdad concurred that two civilians were wounded.

Basnews initially reported that two civilians were injured but later stated that two civilians were killed in the strikes on Sinamoka. Mayor Nahro Abdullah told BasNews that the airstrikes occurred around 1:30am and that Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters were in the area.

In addition to the civilian casualties, the bombing resulted in damage to civilian property.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the airstrikes to Turkey.

The incident occured at approximately 1:30 am local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Sinamoka (سينة موكة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.41559, 45.02261. 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
    2
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS474

Incident date

September 17, 2021

Location

الدبس, Al Dabas, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.45705, 38.762341 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least four civilians, including a child, were killed and up to three others were injured in alleged Turkish strikes on the village of Al Dabas on September 17, 2021.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), four people, including a child, were killed by Turkish missile shells while digging tunnels for the Syrian Democratic Forces in the village of Al Dabas. SOHR had originally reported that two people were killed and three people were injured but later updated their death toll.

In June this year, Al Monitor reported that trenches and tunnels for the Syrian Democratic Forces are dug by “civilians who receive a daily wage of $3 to $5 without medical insurance”.

North Press Agency reported that four civilians were killed in the strikes and according to a medical source, “Turkish forces’ drones targeted a car carrying four civilians heading towards the town of Ain Issa. The source added that the four civilians lost their lives immediately.”

Sputnik News also identified four civilians as being killed in intense Turkish bombardment and provided their names: Malik Al-Muharib Al-Hamid, 25 years old, Idan Hamad Al-Amiri, 40 years old, Hamad Al-Khunais Al-Jarbou’, 20 years old, and Khamis Al-Busaili, 17 years old.

Zaman Al Wasl provided information from the “Hawar” agency, a spokesman for the Democratic Union Party, that in addition to the four people that were killed, three others were injured.

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

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Malik Al-Muharib Al-Hamid مالك المحارب الحميد
25 years old killed
Idan Hamad Al-Amiri عيدان حمد العميري
40 years old killed
Hamad Al-Khunais Al-Jarbou’ حمد الخنيس الجربوع
20 years old killed
Khamis Al-Busaili خموس البصيلي
17 years old killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Dabas (الدبس), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.45705, 38.762341. 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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI072

Incident date

September 24, 2021

Location

هرور, Hiror, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.229298, 43.438993 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian man was injured in alleged Turkish artillery strikes on Hirur on September 24, 2021.

According to @kamaran_Mulla, a civilian named Thabt Hussen was severely injured when alleged Turkish shelling landed on his land while we was harvesting pomegranates. At the time of reporting, Thabt was in critical condition and being treated at Zakho hospital. Shafaq News Agency put the man’s age at 45 while Rudaw News reported that Thabt was 55 years old.

The Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) said in a statement that the strikes that wounded the civilian occurred at 10:30am.

The Kani Masi mayor Sarbast Sabri told Rudaw News that Turkish forces targeted Hiror  village from positions in Kani Masi.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the strikes to Turkey and the majority of sources identified artillery shelling as being used by Turkish forces.

The incident occured at 10:30:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

55 years old male 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
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Image of civilian Thabt Hussen being treated following strikes on his land in Hiror on September 24, 2021. (Image posted by @kamaran_Mulla)
  • Smoke billowing from airstrikes on Hiror Village on September 24, 2021. (Image posted by Basrawi News Encyclopedia)
  • Thabt Hussen, a farmer from Hirur village, was injured from alleged Turkish shelling on September 24, 2021. (Image posted by Roj News)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hiror (هرور), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.229298, 43.438993. 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

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS475

Incident date

October 2, 2021

Location

قرية معلك, Malak village, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.386051, 38.860960 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one child was injured in alleged Turkish shelling on the village of Malak on October 2, 2021.

According to Alyaum TV, a civilian who was tending to his sheep was injured in Turkish shelling of the village of Malak.

Xeber 24 reported that the civilian injured was a 16 year old boy named Adel Muslim and he was transferred to Ain Issa district hospital to be treated for his wounds. At the time of the strikes, Adel was grazing his sheep near the Ain Issa camp when a shell landed near him and hit him.

All of the sources that reported on the strike attributed the shells to Turkish forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

16 years old male 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
    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]

  • Image of Adel Muslim, 16 years old, who was injured in alleged Turkish strikes on the village of Malak on October 2, 2021. (Image posted by ANF News)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Malak (معلك), allegedly located 1km west of Ain Issa (عين عيسى). 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: 36.386051, 38.860960.

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

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI073

Incident date

October 4, 2021

Location

سيدان, Sidan, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

Geolocation

35.58366, 44.72131 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two to three people, including a woman, were injured in alleged Turkish drone strikes on the village of Saydani on October 4, 2021. Local sources were conflicted as to whether those injured were civilians or members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

According to Rudaw News, a 24-year-old woman and a 53-year-old man were injured in a Turkish drone strike on Saydani village. Sharif Rahim, the spokesperson for Chamchamal health directorate, told Rudaw “the injury to the man is serious.”

The head of Chemchemal’s health directorate, Sharif Raheem Moawen, told Shafaq News Agency, “two civilians from Sidan village, the Chemchemal district, were injured: a 24 years old male and a 33 years old male.”

@AnwarKazhin said the strike took place on the outskirts of Shwan sub-district.

ANF News said the incident occurred at 5:50 p.m. The source said it “believed” a Turkish drone had carried out the strike but “Iranian regime forces could also be responsible”.

Hawar News reported that the drone strike struck a car while Kurdistan 24 referred to the location as being an alleged Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) outpost, adding that “Two injured people were transferred to the emergency hospital in Chamchamal,” Chamchamal health directorate spokesman Sharif Rahim told Kurdistan 24. It was not immediately clear if the victims were PKK members or civilians.”

Said Karim, a Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) official in Qarahanjir, told BasNews that “As a result of this bombardment, three fighters of PKK have been injured who have now been transferred to Chamchamall hospital for medical treatment.”

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

The incident occured at approximately 5:00 pm local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Other
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–3

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Sidan (سيدان), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.58366, 44.72131. 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, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Other
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–3

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI074

Incident date

October 9, 2021

Location

سيدان, Sidan, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

Geolocation

35.58366, 44.72131 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and two people, including a woman, were killed and two civilians were injured in alleged Turkish drone strikes on Saydani village on October 9, 2021. The majority of sources refer to all of the casualties from the incident as civilians except BasNews, which identified two Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) fighters as being killed.

Rudaw News reported that a woman was killed and two others were wounded in Turkish drone strikes. The person killed had not yet been identified because “the body is mangled and therefore we can’t determine the age of the deceased,” Sharif Rahim, spokesperson for Chamchamal’s health directorate, told Rudaw, adding that “the wounded are between 25 and 35 years of age.”

According to BasNews, two Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) fighters were killed in the drone strike, which struck a car. BasNews was the only source that identified PKK fighters as being involved and not civilians. Hawar News specifically referred to a “civilian car” being hit by the airstrikes and identified those injured as being civilians.

Xeber24 News added that the two injured civilians were transferred to Chamchamal Hospital, the body of the woman who was killed was taken to forensic medicine in Sulaymaniyah.

The Political Bureau of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan issued a statement to public opinion, which stated: “The Political Bureau of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan condemns the bombing by Turkish planes of the Qaranjir border near the city of Kirkuk, which left casualties and damages.”

All of the sources attributed the strikes to Turkish drones or reported that they “believed” Turkey was responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 women)
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–2

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Sidan (سيدان), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.58366, 44.72131. 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, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 women)
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–2

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS476

Incident date

October 20, 2021

Location

كوباني‎, Kobani, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two people were killed and three others were injured in alleged Turkish drone strikes on Kobani on a vehicle on October 20, 2021. Sources were conflicted as to whether the people killed were civilians or militants while the three injured were reported to be civilians.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that a Turkish drone struck a car of civilians in Kobani, killing one of the “cadres” and his driver, in addition to injuring others, with one of them in serious condition.

Hawar News Agency reported that three civilians were injured in the drone strikes, which occurred at 15:30, and the injured were taken to Kobani hospitals for treatment. They provided the names of those injured: “the child Ali Shukri Lutfi Muhammad, aged 16, Bakr Jarada, the 49-year-old co-chair of the Justice Commission in the Euphrates region, and Ali Rashad Mistou, 19.”

Local sources told BasNews that the vehicle that was targeted by the Turkish drone was a “civilian car carrying a Kurdistan Workers’ Party official near the Amal Hospital in Kobani, which resulted in deaths and injuries”. However, they did not specify whether those killed or injured were civilians, adding that “these sources did not reveal the identify of the official or the number of dead and wounded”.

Aramme News identified the two people killed as being leaders of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and that the SDF imposed a security cordon on the scene following the incident. However, the correspondent for Ahdath Alyoum News reported that two administrative workers were killed alongside Bakr Jarada, who was injured.

Images listed by BasNews and Hawar News Agency show at least two different vehicles that sustained damage in the drone strikes.

All of the sources that reported on the incident pointed to Turkish drones as being responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ali Shukri Lutfi Muhammad
16 years old male injured
Bakr Jarada
49 years old male co-chair of the Justice Commission in the Euphrates region injured
Ali Rashad Mistou
19 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–2

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • Damage to cars from drone strikes on Kobani on October 20, 2021. (Image posted by Hawar News Agency)
  • One of the victims of alleged Turkish drone strikes on Kobani on October 20, 2021. (Image posted by Hawar News Agency)
  • One of the victims of alleged Turkish drone strikes on Kobani on October 20, 2021. (Image posted by Hawar News Agency)
  • One of the victims of alleged Turkish drone strikes on Kobani on October 20, 2021. (Image posted by Hawar News Agency)
  • Damage to cars from drone strikes on Kobani on October 20, 2021. (Image posted by Hawar News Agency)
  • Damage to cars from drone strikes on Kobani on October 20, 2021. (Image posted by Hawar News Agency)
  • Damage to cars from drone strikes on Kobani on October 20, 2021. (Image posted by Hawar News Agency)
  • One of the cars damaged in drone strikes on Kobani on October 20, 2021. (Image posted by Hawar News Agency)
  • One of the cars damaged in drone strikes on Kobani on October 20, 2021. (Image posted by Hawar News Agency)
  • Two of the cars damaged in drone strikes on Kobani on October 20, 2021. (Image posted by Hawar News Agency)

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
    0 – 2
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–2

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS477 CS1967

Incident date

October 25, 2021

Location

العدوانية, Al Adwania, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.711861, 39.624167 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (other) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to four men were killed in Coalition airstrikes or shootings with the alleged assistance of Turkish forces in the village of Al Adwania on October 25, 2021. One of the men, Abu Hamza Al-Shuhail, was identified as an arms dealer while sources were conflicted as to whether the other men were civilians or militants.

The Euphrates Post reported that Turkish forces entered the village of Al Adwania and shot the young man Abdul Rahman Salem Al-Hammad, who died instantly from his gunshot wound. They also pointed out that Abdul had been armed and was killed instantly. Private sources contested that the forces that entered the area were Turkish, reporting that they “spoke English and not Turkish”, making it likely that the forces belonged to the Coalition.

According to Euphrates Post, this incident occurred shortly after an alleged Coalition drone killed Sabahi Al-Musleh “Abu Hamza Al-Shuhail”, identified as being a former arms dealer close to ISIS. A tweet from @DeirEzzorNow disputed this, stating that “Sabahi is not closely associated with the terrorist organization ISIS but the man was an old arms dealer… he joined the 20th Division – and sometimes he works as a smuggler towards Turkey.”

The Syrians for Truth and Justice released a report where they identified Abu Hamza as being a “a famous arms dealer in the region” who “supplied and sold massive quantities of various types of firearms to several parties in the Syrian conflict, chiefly IS”. Al-Shuhail worked with the factions of the former Free Syrian Army (FSA), Jabhat al-Nusra (al-Nusra Front)/Qaeda, and later with both IS and the SDF. He rented the farmhouse in al-Adwaniya—which is under the military control of SNA-affiliated 20th Division—and made it a headquarters for administrating his business, which included people smuggling “in coordination with SNA commanders”.

Additionally, two other people were killed by “unknown fire” when they rode a motorcycle to inspect the location of the drone strike, identified as being Sami Khalil Al-Khuzam, an electrician who worked in an agricultural vehicle repair shop from the village of Al-Marayeh in the eastern Deir Ezzor countryside, and Nawaf Khalaf Al-Hawas, a shepherd from the village of Al-Tabiya. Orient News attributed the death of Sami and Nawaf to the Turkish forces that entered the area following the airstrikes.

Eye of Euphrates referred to “at least three” people killed in addition to Abu Hamza Al-Shuhail as being his “companions” but did not specifically identify if they were militants or civilians and their reporting also seems to indicate that the drone strike killed all four victims. However, a tweet from @DeirEzzorNow specifically identifies Abu Hamza Al-Shuhail, Abdul, and Nawaf as all being from Deir Ezzor and as all being members of the 20th National Army Division (they did not mention Sami Khalil).

The report by the Syrians for Truth and Justice identified the location as being a newly constructed farm adjacent to the Syria-Turkey border in al-Adwaniya village. Following the drone strike that killed Abu Hamza, Turkish ground troops came from Turkey and encircled the area, exchanging fire and killing a gunman in the farmhouse named Abdulrahman Salem al-Hammad, who “used to work with al-Shuhail and visited the farmhouse frequently”. In addition, two other civilians “arrived in the target area about an hour and a half after the assassination operation started” and were killed. Sami al-Khuzami died when he was shot in the chest, and Nawaf al-Khalaf died when he was shot in the head, possibly by sniper fire due to the location. Both were “killed on the main street leading to the farm, about 150 meters away from the farmhouse”. Overall, the incident resulted in the death of three civilians “who maintained no relations with the arms dealer”.

On November 27th 2021, the UK government announced that they had conducted strikes in this location without giving details about who was killed: “The crew of a remotely piloted Reaper, armed with Hellfire missiles, tracked a known terrorist in northern Syria, near the city of Ras al Ayn, and at a safe moment, when the individual was alone in a field, carried out a successful attack.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdul Rahman Salem Al-Hammad
Adult male killed
Sami Khalil Al-Khuzam
Adult male killed
Nawaf Khalaf Al-Hawas
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground), Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1–3 men)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, US-led Coalition
  • Known targets
    Assad regime, ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–3

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (15) [ collapse]

  • Sabahi Al-Musleh "Abu Hamza Al-Shuhail", an alleged arms dealer killed in strikes on October 25, 2021. (Image posted by @DeirEzzorNow)
  • Sami al-Khuzami , killed in Al Adwania on October 25, 2021. (Image posted by Euphrates Post)
  • Nawaf al-Khalaf, killed in Al Adwania on October 25, 2021. (Image posted by Euphrates Post)
  • One of the men killed in strikes or a shooting in Al Adwania on October 25, 2021. (Image posted by Euphrates Post)
  • Two photos taken at different intervals of the farmhouse built sometime in 2021, and where al-Shuhail was killed. The farmhouse is adjacent to Syria-Turkey borders and is farmed in red. Credits: Planet Labs Inc.
  • Satellite image taken by Planet Labs Inc. 7 November 2021. The photo locates the farmhouse—the black square—where al-Shuhail was killed, compared to the location of the Turkish base—the red square—from where the ground forces raided the farmhouse. Additionally, the photo shows the border wall between Syria and Turkey. Credit: Planet Labs Inc.
  • Footage from the video, showing the farmhouse, in the black square. Credit: STJ.
  • Satellite image linked with the live footage from the video. Credit: Planet Labs Inc.
  • Satellite image linked with the live footage from the video. Credit: Planet Labs Inc.
  • Footage from the video. Credit: STJ.
  • Footage circulated on social media of what is believed al-Shuhail’s body parts and the location where the drone hit.
  • The footage from social media linked with satellite images. Credit: Planet Labs Inc.
  • Footage circulated on social media of what is believed to be al-Shuhail’s body parts and the location where the drone hit.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of victim Nawaf al-Khalaf, shot in the forehead by alleged Turkish forces on October 25, 2021. (Image posted by Syrians for Truth and Justice)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic image of victim Sami al-Khuzami, who was targeted just in the heart by alleged Turkish forces on October 25, 2021. (Image posted by Syrians for Truth and Justice)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the strike mention the village of Al Adwania (العدوانية). According to research conducted by Syrians for Truth and Justice, the exact coordinates for this strike are: 36.711861, 39.624167. Cross referencing source material, we can confirm the accuracy of this location.  

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

The crew of a remotely piloted Reaper, armed with Hellfire missiles, tracked a known terrorist in northern Syria, near the city of Ras al Ayn, and at a safe moment, when the individual was alone in a field, carried out a successful attack.

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original

Monday 25 October – An RAF Reaper killed a Daesh terrorist in northern Syria. Royal Air Force aircraft have continued to fly missions over Iraq and Syria in support of the global coalition against the Daesh terrorist movement. On Monday 25 October, the crew of a remotely piloted Reaper, armed with Hellfire missiles, tracked a known terrorist in northern Syria, near the city of Ras al Ayn, and at a safe moment, when the individual was alone in a field, carried out a successful strike.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground), Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1–3 men)
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, US-led Coalition
  • Known targets
    Assad regime, ISIS
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–3

Sources (11) [ collapse]