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

TS105

Incident date

January 21, 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 Red Crescent reported that two civilians were killed and five people injured in the vicinity of Afrin city.

In a private message with Airwars, it was reported that two people were killed and two people were injured.

There are no additional details are presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Abdo Kinjo
27 years old male killed
Muhammad Kado
32 years old male killed
Viyan Rashed
Adult female shock injured
Mustafa Muhammad
Adult male shock injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

    • English
    • English

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
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

    • English
    • English

Incident Code

TS106

Incident date

January 21, 2018

Location

شيرا, Shera, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.617500, 36.936944 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Kurdish Red Crescent reported that four civilians were injured in the vicinity of Shera in Afrin canton.

Injured civilians were named in a report shared with Airwars.

No additional details are presently known.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Saed Mussa
Adult male leg injury, named in a report shared with Airwars injured
Muhammad Horro
Adult male leg injury, named in a report shared with Airwars injured
Khayri Darwesh
Adult male shock, named in a report shared with Airwars injured
Unidentified woman
Adult female named in a report shared with Airwars killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

    • English
    • English

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Shera (شيرا), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.617500, 36.936944. 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
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

    • English
    • English

Incident Code

TS102

Incident date

January 21, 2018

Location

شيا عفرين, Shya, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.496944, 36.598333 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A number of civilians were killed in an alleged Turkish aerial bombardement of Shya and its surrounding areas. The Kurdish Red Crescent reported a number of civilians killed and injured in the vicinity of Shya in Afrin canton.

A report by Aldiwan said that Turkish airstrikes resulted in “much destruction and many civilians killed in Shih and Shura”.

Rok and Hawar News reported Turkish strikes in the area but made no mention of civilian casualties.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ez Alden Amer
8 years old male named in a report shared with Airwars killed
Amara Ali
20 years old female named in a report shared with Airwars killed
Rashed AlNsan
40 years old male named in a report shared with Airwars killed
Feyroz Omar
Age unknown named in a report shared with Airwars injured
Kajin Shekh Muhammad
Age unknown named in a report shared with Airwars injured
Zeynab Hemklino
40 years old female named in a report shared with Airwars injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Shya (شيا عفرين), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.496944, 36.598333. 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 child1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS103

Incident date

January 21, 2018

Location

محبة, Mobato, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.562634, 36.74562 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Kurdish Red Crescent reported a number of civilians killed and injured in the vicinity of Mobato in Afrin canton.

According to a report shared with Airwars the victims were an unnamed child (killed); and an unidentified woman suffering from shock. Adult civilian males Hassan and Mustafa Ali both reportedly received leg injuries.

Other sources reported Turkish strikes in the areas but made no mention of civilian casualties.

In a private list shared with Airwars, Rumaf listed an “unidentified child, a boy, killed in Mobato on Jan 21st”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Unidentified woman
Adult female killed
Unidentified child
Child male killed
Hassan
Age unknown male injured
Mustafa Ali
Age unknown male injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Mobato (محبة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.562634, 36.74562. 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 – 2
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS104

Incident date

January 21, 2018

Location

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

The Kurdish Red Crescent reported that five adult male civilians were killed and four people injured in the vicinity of Jinderes in Afrin canton. The victims names were confirmed though a private message shared with Airwars.

Other sources also reported Turkish strikes in the area. According to Alnado, civilians sheltered in caves “to escape the heavy Turkish bombardment”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Baker Adnan
Adult male shared in a private report with Airwars, also named by Rumaf killed
Muhammad Hanan
Adult male shared in a private report with Airwars, also named by Rumaf killed
Bashar Dilsher welat
Adult male shared in a private report with Airwars, also named by Rumaf killed
Chekdar
Adult male shared in a private report with Airwars, also named by Rumaf killed
Waled Tersely
28 years old male shared in a private report with Airwars, also named by Rumaf killed
Yousif Abdul Rahman
15 years old male head injury injured
Selva Eed
Age unknown suffering from shock injured
Majd Adel Beker
Age unknown broken hand injured
Basel Hassan
Age unknown bruising injured
Muhammad Oso Yousif
65 years old male injured

Summary

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

  • The exact moment an alleged Turkish airstrike hit Jindires, Afrin 21st January 2018. (via Barada)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Jindires, Afrin (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
    5
  • (5 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • 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

TS101

Incident date

January 21, 2018

Location

ماريامين, Mariamain and Diwa villages, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.531667, 36.950833 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Afrin Now reported that three civilians were killed and 13 wounded in an alleged Turkish strike on Mariamain and Diwa villages.

According to Almjhar, Hawar, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Tardous News, two of the victims died in Mariamain’s Shara area, and one in Diwa’s Gendressa quarter.

Afrin Now named Ahmad Himmo as one of the three victims, though did not say which of the two villages he came from.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmad Himmo
Adult male killed
Ismail Al Hussein
9 years old male injured
Fadi Al Hussein
10 years old injured
Abdul Sattar Jenco
28 years old male injured
Mohammed Abdo Jenko
27 years old male injured
Ismail Mohammed Ibrahim
12 years old injured
Fadi Mohammed Abdo
10 years old injured
Hamid Battal
30 years old injured
Khalid Abdul Qader
46 years old male injured
Hamida Ibrahim
3 years old injured
Faiza Badr Al Hassan
24 years old injured
Driana Mohammed Seedo
Age unknown injured
Hiba Akram
13 years old injured
unknown civilian aged 30 years
30 years old injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    13
  • 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]

  • Injured civilian being treated in a medical facility following an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mariamain and Diwa villages, 21st Jan 2018. (via Afrin now)
  • Injured civilian being treated in a medical facility following an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mariamain and Diwa villages, 21st Jan 2018. (via Afrin now)
  • Injured civilian being treated in a medical facility following an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mariamain and Diwa villages, 21st Jan 2018. (via Afrin now)
  • Injured civilian being treated in a medical facility following an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mariamain and Diwa villages, 21st Jan 2018. (via Afrin now)
  • Injured civilian being treated in a medical facility following an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mariamain and Diwa villages, 21st Jan 2018. (via Afrin now)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Mariamain and Diwa villages (ماريامين), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.531667, 36.950833. 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
    13
  • 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

TS100

Incident date

January 21, 2018

Location

عنابكة, poultry farm at A'nabka, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.494167, 36.956389 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least 11 civilians, mostly children from several families, died in alleged Turkish airstrikes on a poultry farm at A’nabka, according to local media.

Afrin Now, Al Watan and Syria Steps all blamed Turkey. Afrin Now first placed the location of the strikes at Abeen, though later changed this to A’nabka – informing Airwars that the two villages are very close to each other. Casualties were also reported in Jalbara, though in a private message Afrin Now confirmed that this was the same location as A’nabka.

In a later report, the source said that there was a “Turkish airstrike against civilians in a warehouse in Jalbara. Our medical team were witnesses of this massacre, and rescued seven people from the the building. Many of them were children and there was even one under one-year-old. The victims were referred to the hospital. Eleven civilians were confirmed dead in this massacre, many of them children. We still don’t know anything about six people who were in the same building, and we are still trying to search for them”.

Welat FM and Step News Agency also reported that Turkey carried out raids on the village of Jalbara.

According to Welat FM, “three workers were killed and ten wounded. They were transferred to hospital. There are dozens of civilians under the rubble”.

According to Rojava, the death toll had climbed to 17 civilians, “most of them from a single family”.

Kurdish Red Crescent named an unidentified female aged 30 as killed, and said that Khalid Rahmano was wounded.

Vedeng added that “a displaced family from Idlib” were also killed, while 16-year-old Sami al-Hussein “was missing under the rubble”.

The source also published a number of images showing civilians being removed from the rubble following the air strikes.

Another image depicted “the funeral of 12 civilians and two fighters of the Syrian Democratic forces”, though it is unclear whether this photograph refers to this casualty event alone.

According to Alitihad Press “a medical source in the city of Afrin reported the death toll of the massacre of the village of Anakka southeast of the city to 10 people, including seven from one family who had been displaced from the city of Maarat al-Nu’man in rural Idlib.”

Revo Spring said that a family of seven died after “they were prevented from leaving the area by the Syrian Democratic Forces”.

The Syrian Observatory said that 11 civilians died, including “the death of 8 civilians from one family from the Maraat Al-Noman countryside in Idlib province, including a woman and 5 children below the age of 16.”

A video published by Rumaf reportedly features the only survivor of the poultry farm massacre in Jabal Hajar. The transcipt is as follows:

‘Off camera: How many missiles were fired?

Man: 4 missiles. I was hit by one of them

Off camera: They killed innocent kids

Man: They are Daesh, those people, they are Daesh – Mohammad’s son was 4 months old

Young girl: we are kids we had come to work. We’re not a military front or anything. We had come here to work. Why all this shelling on top of our head?’

A report by SDF Press cited Dr. Nouri Qanbar from the Kurdish Red Crescent as saying that “Our paramedics have rescued two children in the poultry farm of the village of Jalbara, but we have documented that there are about 11 people under the rubble after being bombed by the Turkish raids, which led to the complete destruction of the building’”. The organisation later said that five people were still missing following the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Rahaf al Hussein al Omar
33 years old female named by Afrin now “all of them from a displaced family from Ma’arat al-Nu’man” killed
Wael al-Hussein
1 years old male named by Afrin now “all of them from a displaced family from Ma’arat al-Nu’man” killed
Hadeel Al Hussein
10 years old female named by Afrin now “all of them from a displaced family from Ma’arat al-Nu’man” killed
Ghalia al Hussein
8 years old female named by Afrin now “all of them from a displaced family from Ma’arat al-Nu’man” killed
Salma al Hussein
6 years old female named by Afrin now “all of them from a displaced family from Ma’arat al-Nu’man” killed
The child of Mus’ab al-Hussein
6 years old The child of Mus’ab al-Hussein (unknown gender)named by Afrin now “all of them from a displaced family from Ma’arat al-Nu’man” killed
Ahmed al-Hussein
17 years old male named by Afrin now “all of them from a displaced family from Ma’arat al-Nu’man” killed
Abdelkader Rahmano
40 years old male Afrin Now informed Airwars that a second family, displaced people from Kufr Saghir, was also killed. killed
Ahmed Rahmano
37 years old male Afrin Now informed Airwars that a second family, displaced people from Kufr Saghir, was also killed. killed
Mohamed Abdelkader Rahmano
9 years old male Afrin Now informed Airwars that a second family, displaced people from Kufr Saghir, was also killed. killed
unidentified 30 year old female
30 years old female named by Kurdish Red Cresent killed
Cuma Muhammad Al Hussen
17 years old named by The Kurdish Red crescent as injured injured
Hameda Ibrahem
3 years old named by The Kurdish Red crescent as injured injured
Hessen Ibrahem Al Hussen
2 years old named by The Kurdish Red crescent as injured injured
Fady Muhammad Eed
10 years old named by The Kurdish Red crescent as injured injured
Ismael Muhammad Ibrahem
12 years old male named by The Kurdish Red crescent as injured injured
Khalid Muhamad Ali
46 years old male named by The Kurdish Red crescent as injured injured
Kefah Musa ALamer
Age unknown named by The Kurdish Red crescent as injured injured
Unidentified man
30 years old male named by The Kurdish Red crescent as injured injured
Emad Shemo
29 years old named by The Kurdish Red crescent as injured injured
Basm Suleman
Age unknown named by The Kurdish Red crescent as injured injured
Abdullqadir Kenjo
Age unknown male named by The Kurdish Red crescent as injured injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 24
  • (7 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–24
  • 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 (32) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • Civilians being dug out of the rubble in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish raid on a poultry farm at A'nabka, 21st Jan 2018. (via Afrin now)
  • Civilians being dug out of the rubble in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish raid on a poultry farm at A'nabka, 21st Jan 2018. (via Afrin now)
  • Funeral in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish raid on a poultry farm at A'nabka, 21st Jan 2018. (via Afrin now)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Turkish raid on a poultry farm at A'nabka, 21st Jan 2018. (via Rumaf)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Turkish raid on a poultry farm at A'nabka, 21st Jan 2018. (via SDF Press)
  • Boy trapped under the rubble following an alleged Turkish raid on a poultry farm at A'nabka, 21st Jan 2018. (via SDF Press)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Turkish raid on a poultry farm at A'nabka, 21st Jan 2018. (via SDF Press)
  • Boy trapped under the rubble following an alleged Turkish raid on a poultry farm at A'nabka, 21st Jan 2018. (via SDF Press)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Dead bodies under the rubble following an alleged Turkish raid on a poultry farm at A'nabka, 21st Jan 2018. (via SDF Press)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Dead bodies under the rubble following an alleged Turkish raid on a poultry farm at A'nabka, 21st Jan 2018. (via SDF Press)

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 24
  • (7 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    11–24
  • 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 (32) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS099

Incident date

January 21, 2018

Location

عداما, A'dama, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.768333, 36.661389 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were killed and four others were wounded in an alleged Turkish shelling of A’dama village in the Afrin countryside, according to local media.

The Kurdish Red Crescent reported that two civilians were killed and five people injured in the vicinity of Rajo in Afrin canton.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Avin Azad
Adult female named in a report shared with Airwars killed
Majd Abd
Adult male named in a report shared with Airwars killed
Hiba Akram Osman
13 years old injured
Rokeyv
Age unknown female injured
Diryan Muhammad Sedo
Adult female injured
Merkhaz Ghareb
Age unknown injured
Ferhad Mohammed Hemdosh
Age unknown injured
Mustefah Apo Hemo
12 years old male injuries to his lower limbs, named by The Kurdish Red Crescent injured
Unidentified girl
Child female Ada Press, Sipan Silo and Hawar News added that a girl was also seriously injured, and blamed Turkey. injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • An injured civilian recives medical treatment in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish raid on A'dama, 21st Jan 2018. (via Sherwan)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of A’dama (عداما), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.768333, 36.661389. 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
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]