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

TS172

Incident date

February 9, 2018

Location

شاكتا, Shkata village, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.4811393, 36.6133118 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and three civilians died in an alleged Turkish bombing of Shkata village, according to local media.

The Military Council for Manbij and its Countryside reported that in the afternoon, at approximately 14:00, the Turkish Air Force launched several raids on the village of Shikata in the Shih area and targeted civilian houses. The shelling destroyed a house and its inhabitants. After several hours of shelling, residents managed to reach the house and search among the rubble pulling out the body of the citizen Nassrat Othman, 50 years old and took him to Afrin hospital.

Sources added that three or four other people remained under the rubble.

According to Afrin Now, three civilians were killed after Turkish warplanes bombed the village of Shakato a short while ago. Of the victims, one man was identified, and the rest of the bodies were still under the rubble.

Hawar News added that Nusrat Osman was taken to the hospital, but doctors could not save him.

SotKurdistan reported that “The raids started first without shelling, and shortly afterwards five shells fell on the village. We took Nusrat’s body four hours from the rubble and there are more than three victims who are still under the rubble. Rubble, no machinery or equipment to lift them.”

The incident occured at 14:00:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

50 years old male displaced from his village (Alkana) killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Video interviewing witnesses of the alleged Turkish airstrike on Shkata village, Afrin (source: Afrin Now)
  • Footage shows the destruction in civilian houses followed an alleged Turkish airstrike on Shkata village, Afrin (source: Anha)
  • A picture shows the funeral of the victim who was killed followed an alleged Turkish airstrike on Shkata village, Afrin (source: ANha)
  • A picture shows the funeral of the victim who was killed followed an alleged Turkish airstrike on Shkata village, Afrin (source: ANha)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian casualty in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Shkata village, Afrin, 9th February 2018. (via Anha)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the subdistrict of Shkata village, Afrin (شاكتا), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.4811393, 36.6133118. 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 – 5
  • (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 (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS168

Incident date

February 9, 2018

Location

رمضانة, Ramadana, Jindires, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.498611, 36.655000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source, SotKurdistan, reported that, “on Thursday, the two men, Farhad Ibash (50) and Adel Abdul Hanan (50), were injured by the Turkish bombardment of Rumdana village, Syria.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Farhad Ibash
50 years old male injured
Adel Abdul Hanan
50 years old male injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 village of Ramadana, Jindires (رمضانة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.498611, 36.655000. 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
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS169

Incident date

February 9, 2018

Location

جولاق, Jolak, Jindires, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

A single source, named SotKurdistan, reported that a “70-year-old Issa Bakkar Issa was injured in the Turkish bombardment of the city centre of Jolak town in Jandarsa”, Syria.

There are no other known details relating to this allegation at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Issa Bakkar Issa
70 years old injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 district of Jolak, Jindires, Afrin (جولاق), 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
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS170

Incident date

February 9, 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

Claudia Al Minah reported that Turkey “attacked Kotana village in the Bilbilê area, Syria, last night, injuring seriously 3 inhabitants, damaging houses and the school.”

Photographic evidence shows the extensive material damage to the vicinity.

Electricity was also cut off in the village.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of alleged Turkish airstrikes on Kotana, Afrin, 9th 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
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS171

Incident date

February 9, 2018

Location

براكاسة, Barkasa, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.723889, 36.800000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least three civilians died, and more were wounded in an alleged Turkish airstrike which reportedly struck civilian homes in Barkasa, Syria, according to local media.

Xeber24 reported that two families remained under the rubble as a result of the bombing of Turkish aircraft that targeted the homes of villagers.

According to SotKurdistan, “there was a Turkish aerial bombardment of Afrin and its environs on Thursday. This led to the massacre of two families in the village of Berkashah in the area of Balbala. We learned that the rescue teams recovered the victims from the rubble, most of them were wounded, but we could not obtain the names.”

In a video, Rumaf named three wounded civilians including Rachid Sidou (67 years old). However, other sources named Rachid Sidou as killed (and put his age at 43 or 34, rather than 67). IC Afrin resistance tweeted an image of the victim’s funeral.

According to most sources, Rachid Sidou’s body was only discovered 15 days after the bombardment.

On February 26th the Kurdish news agency ANHA reported that Mr Sidou’s body was found under the rubble two weeks after his house was bombed. It added that no one had been able to reach the demolished building because of continued heavy shelling by the Turkish army.

The transcript of a video for the incident reads as follows:

“Voice off camera asking woman: What kind of shelling was it? Was it artillery or plane?

Woman: It was artillery. We were sleeping at my brother’s house. We usually sleep there and then we go to our house in the morning and spend the daytimes there. In the morning I was in our home and getting breakfast ready I went to the kitchen to get a cup, and I was shot in my foot, and then there was artillery shelling and firearms they were just hitting us. We were all injured. We were all civilians; they hit the civilians, not the military. There is no military there.

Off camera: You mean they’re deliberately hitting the civilians?

Woman: Yes, they demolished the civilians’ homes. They demolished half the village. There are still people there under siege we’ve spoken to them they’re still shelling the houses. There is a cave people are taking shelter in because the village is still being hit because they know there are civilians they won’t’ let anyone come out alive.”

It must be noted that this video transcript was also reported in the incident in Kafr Shila, 8th February 2018. It is unclear where this video belonged. 

According to Afrin Now, the wounded were taken to Afrin Hospital, two of them in stable conditions and the others in critical condition.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

34 years old male son of Abdel Hanan and Khadija Haji Rashid killed
38 years old male Via RuMaf injured
years old male Via RuMaf injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows the body of the victim Reşîd Ebdulhenan Seydo (43), found by Kurdish Red Crescent followed an alleged Turkish airstrike on Barkasa, Afrin. 9th February 2018. (via: IC Afrinresistance)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows the body of the victim Reşîd Ebdulhenan Seydo (43), found by Kurdish Red Crescent followed an alleged Turkish airstrike on Barkasa, Afrin. 9th February 2018. (via: Rojava)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows the body of the victim Reşîd Ebdulhenan Seydo (43), found by Kurdish Red Crescent followed an alleged Turkish airstrike on Barkasa, Afrin. 9th February 2018. (via: Afrin Now)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A picture shows the body of the victim Reşîd Ebdulhenan Seydo (43), found by Kurdish Red Crescent followed an alleged Turkish airstrike on Barkasa, Afrin. 9th February 2018. (via: Rumaf)
  • A picture shows a group of people carrying the victim Reşid Sido, 43 years old, killed followed an alleged Turkish air strike on Afrin, 9th February 2018. (via: IC Afrin resistance)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Barkasa, Afrin (براكاسة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.723889, 36.800000. 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
    3
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS167

Incident date

February 9, 2018

Location

اخجيلة, Akhjla village, Jandrissa, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.377381, 36.664178 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to a tweet by Roni Omar, one civilian, named Osman Hamo Na’so, was killed.

Afrin Now reported “shelling by the Turkish occupation army aircraft on the village of Qustal Khadriya and Qustal Mekdad in the area of Bulbula, and the village of Deir Sawan in the vicinity of Shara. Aircraft also bombed the village of Akhjla of the region of Jandrissa, wounding a civilian”.

Other sources also reported the wounding of a civilian.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Osman Hamo Na’so
Adult male killed

Summary

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

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Osman Hamo Na'so, killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Akhjla village, Jandrissa, Afrin, 9th February 2018. (via Roni Omar)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Akhjla village, Jandrissa, Afrin (اخجيلة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.377381, 36.664178. 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)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS164

Incident date

February 8, 2018

Location

اشكا غابري, Ashka Gharbi village, Jandrissa, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.399444, 36.636667 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to several sources, an unidentified number of civilians were wounded followed an alleged Turkish shelling on Ashka Gharbi village, Jandrissa, Afrin.

Afrin Now reported that in Syria the Turkish occupation army shelled the village of Ashka Gharbi of the Jundressa area in Afrin province with artillery. There were reports of civilian casualties and injuries caused by indiscriminate shelling.

On February 9th, The Military Council for Manbij and its countryside reported that at 6 pm yesterday, the village of Ashkan Gharbi was subjected to a very violent indiscriminate artillery bombardment causing civilian injuries.

The same video was used to document the shelling of Kafr Shila which injured three civilians, including two 10 year old boys and their mother. It is unclear to which incident it belongs. 

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A boy injured in "very violent indiscriminate artillery bombardment", by alleged Turkish shelling. 8th February 2018. (via SDF PRESS)
  • The sign at the village (which is made by the Kurdish people, not official Syrian regime sign) reads” Aska Rojava.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Ashka Gharbi village, Jandrissa, Afrin (اشكا غابري), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.399444, 36.636667. 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 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS165

Incident date

February 8, 2018

Location

ماسكا, Maska, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.648611, 36.678889 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local reports, up to 4 civilians were injured followed an alleged Turkish air strike on Maska.

Kurdhr indicated that the Turkish air force targeted the village of Maskah in the Jundair district of Jandairis with two air raids, injuring more than 4 civilians.

Rumaf reported that many civilians were wounded in the strike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • 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]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Maska, Aleppo (ماسكا), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.648611, 36.678889. 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
    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]