Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

An internally displaced Kurdish family in northern Iraq, 2016 (Maranie R. Staab)

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Incident Code

TS557

Incident date

October 3, 2022

Location

قرية تل اللبن, Tal al-Laban village, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.614167, 40.199444 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians were injured in alleged Turkish shelling of the village of Tal al-Laban in the Tel Tamr countryside on October 3, 2022.

According to Hawar News, four civilians were injured when Turkish forces bombed the village of Tal al-Laban and the injured were taken to a hospital in Tel Tamr district to receive treatment. The names of the injured as Hajj Ibrahim Muhammad al-Faqir, Qusay Musa al-Faqir, Abdul Majeed al-Faraj and Najm Abdullah Habib.

A medical source from Legation Hospital in Tel Tamr told North Press Agency that the four civilians were wounded to varying degrees of severity.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the strikes to Turkish forces and a military source told North Press Agency that Turkey fired a barrage of artillery shells at Tal al-Laban.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Hajj Ibrahim Muhammad al-Faqir
injured
Qusay Musa al-Faqir
injured

The victims were named as:

Abdul Majeed al-Faraj
Age unknown injured
Najm Abdullah Habib
Age unknown injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilians injured by alleged Turkish strikes on the village of Tal al-Laban on October 3, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tal al-Laban village (قرية تل اللبن), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.614167, 40.199444. 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
    4
  • 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

TS584

Incident date

January 7, 2023

Location

الخالدية, Al Khalidiyah, Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

36.418139, 38.809811 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On January 7th 2023, a child was reportedly wounded in a Turkish drone attack on Al-Khalidiyah village, Ain Issa district. He was identified as 10 years old Ali Khalifa Al-Ali. Sources added that he was injured in his left hand and was taken to hospital for treatment. Local sources reported the attack between 1 and 1:30 pm.

The incident occured between 1:00 pm and 1:30 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Ali Khalifa Al-Ali علي خليفة العلي
10 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • 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 target
    Unknown

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Picture of the child reportedly injured by a Turkish drone strike in Al-Khalidiyah village Photo: ANHA English
  • The child Ali Khalifa Al-Ali allegedly injured in his left hand following a reported Turkish drone attack on January 7th 2023. Photo: وجيه درباس__Wecîh derbas

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Khalidiyah (الخالدية), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.418139, 38.809811. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • 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 target
    Unknown

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS615

Incident date

July 27, 2023

Location

تل معروف, Tal Maarouf, Al-Hasakah, Syria

Airwars assessment

On Thursday, the 27th of July, an alleged Turkish military drone strike on two vehicles near Tal Maarouf in Syria’s northeast region resulted in the death of two civilians. At least four members of  the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Internal Security Forces (Asayish) were also killed in the strike, while up to another four have been reported to be injured.

Initial reportage by NPA and Rudaw stated that the vehicles bombed were opposite the village of Al Shaibaniyyah, on the road between Tal Maarouf and Khazna in the countryside of Al Qamishli, and that while there were reports of injuries and casualties and eyewitnesses saying “ambulances went to the scene”, no official comments or statements had been released to specify the numbers.

In the following days, statements released by the Council of Martyr’s Families in the Jazera region and by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (Rojava) revealed the identities of the two civilians killed – a young woman in her early to mid-twenties, Waad Ali al-Khalouf, born in the village of Samihan in Tal Brak district in 1998, and a young man, Muhammad Faisal Oman, from the village of Khazna.

Al Hadath covered a statement released by Asayish, which claimed that its vehicles were attacked, reporting the death of three of its soldiers, and the injury of another two. In a Facebook post covering a later incident, Neynik referred back to the drone strike, claiming the death of three SDF forces, including a leader, and the injury of four, two of which were identified as women. The Women’s Protection Unit in the SDF released a statement confirming the deaths of four of its members in the incident.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the strike to Turkey, with the Council of Martyr’s Families stating  “the Turkish occupation state’s extermination campaigns continue against the citizens of northern and eastern Syria, as its drones targeted, on July 27, two cars on the road to the town of Tal Maarouf.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Waad Ali al-Khalouf وعد علي الخلوف
25 years old female killed
Muhammad Faisal Oman محمد فيصل عمر
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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
    4
  • Belligerents reported injured
    2–4

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • One of the members of the Women's Protection Units killed by alleged Turkish drone strikes on July 27, 2023. (Image posted by قامشلو قلب روج ٱڣٱآ Qamislo via Facebook)
  • One of the members of the Women's Protection Units killed by alleged Turkish drone strikes on July 27, 2023. (Image posted by قامشلو قلب روج ٱڣٱآ Qamislo via Facebook)
  • One of the members of the Women's Protection Units killed by alleged Turkish drone strikes on July 27, 2023. (Image posted by قامشلو قلب روج ٱڣٱآ Qamislo via Facebook)
  • One of the members of the Women's Protection Units killed by alleged Turkish drone strikes on July 27, 2023. (Image posted by قامشلو قلب روج ٱڣٱآ Qamislo via Facebook)
  • Vehicles destroyed by by alleged Turkish drone strikes on July 27, 2023. (Image posted by Rudaw News)

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
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • 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
    4
  • Belligerents reported injured
    2–4

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS650

Incident date

October 20, 2023

Location

قرية عقيبة , Akaybah/Ogaybah, Shirawa, Afrin countryside, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

On Friday, October 20th, two civilians were injured as a result of alleged Turkish military bombing on the town of Akaybah (Ogaybah in Kurdish). They were injured while working in the fields surrounding the town, and were taken to the closest medical center for treatment.

One civilian was identified as 29-year-old Shaima Muhammad Rajab Talib. Sources remain divided over the identity of the second victim. While some reported the wounded to be a man, Farid Mustafa Barakat, others name the civilian as a woman, Farida Mustafa Barakat. Despite confusion over the gender of the injured, sources agree on the civilian’s age: 23 years old. Importantly however, an image included with a written source show two women holding their injuries. Both injuries appeared to be minor.

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

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Shaima Muhammad Rajab Talib شيماء محمد رجب طالب
29 years old female injured
Farida Mustafa Barakat or Farid Mustafa Barakat فريدة مصطفى بركات or فريد مصطفى بركات
23 years old injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Afrin Rankin news facebook

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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 infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS147

Incident date

February 2, 2018

Location

خلاقة, Khalalka, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.694266, 36.80596 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources in Syria reported that “the civilian citizen Shaaban Khalil, 24, from the village of Khalalka, was injured by the Turkish bombardment of the village in the countryside of Afrin.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Shaaban Khalil
Age unknown injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Translation: "Afrin - 24-year-old Shaaban Khalil was injured as a result of the shelling of his village by the Turkish occupation army in the area of Bilbala."
  • Translation: "The civilian citizen Shaaban Khalil, 24, from the village of Khalalka, was injured by the Turkish bombardment of the village in the countryside of Afrin."

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Khalalka, Afrin (خلاقة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.694266, 36.80596. 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
    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

TS211

Incident date

February 17, 2018

Location

راجو, عفرين, Rajo, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.67296, 36.666364 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In a private report to Airwars, the Kurdish Red Crescent reported the injury of one civilian in an alleged Turkish shelling of Rajo.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Salah Hussein
45 years old male head injury 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 village of Rajo, Afrin (راجو, عفرين), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.67296, 36.666364. 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

TS242

Incident date

March 3, 2018

Location

موباتة, Mobata, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.562634, 36.930000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to six civilians were wounded in an alleged Turkish shelling of Mobata, Syria, according to local media.

ROK reported: “A number of civilians were wounded on Saturday morning by Turkish artillery shelling on the centre of Maabatli in Afrin, northwest of Syria, amid heavy fighting on the outskirts of Raju town west of the province.”

According to field sources in the area of Maabtli, Turkish artillery shelling targeted civilian houses, causing substantial damage to houses and shops, coinciding with the intensification of Turkish air raids on the countryside since Thursday.

Finally, Alalam reported that both the Turkish army and “armed forces of the Free Army” were behind today’s shelling.

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Mustafa Ahmed Ibrahim
60 years old male injured on his right foot injured
Shiraz El-Din Khalil Suleiman
48 years old male as injured in the head and currently receiving treatment in the intensive care unit injured
Rashid Hamid Musa
29 years old injured
Sido Shukri Abdo
65 years old full body injury injured
Ali Fadel Salameh
Age unknown Rumaf correspondent injured
Nour Jammu
Age unknown Rumaf correspondent injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Free Syrian Army

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (13) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of alleged Turkish airstrike on Mobata, Afrin, 3rd March 2018. (via Arin Chikhmous)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Turkish raid on Mobata, Afrin, 3rd March 2018. Blood can be seen in the streets alongside much material damage. (via Hawar)
  • A wounded civilian receives medical treatment in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mobata, Afrin, 3rd March 2018. (via ROK)
  • A wounded civilian receives medical treatment in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mobata, Afrin, 3rd March 2018. (via ROK)
  • A wounded civilian receives medical treatment in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mobata, Afrin, 3rd March 2018. (via ROK)
  • A wounded civilian receives medical treatment in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mobata, Afrin, 3rd March 2018. (via ROK)
  • A wounded civilian receives medical treatment in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mobata, Afrin, 3rd March 2018. (via ROK)
  • A wounded civilian receives medical treatment in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mobata, Afrin, 3rd March 2018. (via ROK)
  • A wounded civilian receives medical treatment in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mobata, Afrin, 3rd March 2018. (via ROK)
  • A wounded civilian receives medical treatment in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mobata, Afrin, 3rd March 2018. (via Rumaf)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A wounded civilian receives medical treatment in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mobata, Afrin, 3rd March 2018. (via Rumaf)
  • A wounded civilian receives medical treatment in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mobata, Afrin, 3rd March 2018. (via Rumaf)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Wounded civilian receives medical treatment in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on Mobata, Afrin, 3rd March 2018. (via ANHA)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Mobata, Afrin (موباتة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.562634, 36.930000. 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

Free Syrian Army Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Free Syrian Army
  • Free Syrian Army position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Free Syrian Army

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI024a IRI002

Incident date

July 10, 2019

Location

ديري, Dere, Erbil, Iraq

Geolocation

37.098683, 43.520804 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One to two civilians, including an 18-year-old girl, were killed and up to four others injured in alleged Turkish or Iranian artillery strikes in the Bradost region of Iraqi Kurdistan on July 10th, 2019 according to local media reports.

Al-Monitor reported that Iranian artillery shelled the Sidakan border area in Erbil province on July 10th killing a civilian and wounding two others.

ANF said both Iran and Turkey carried out strikes in the area that resulted in the deaths of two civilians and injured four others.

Ihsan Chalabi, mayor of Sidakan town, told Al-Monitor: “On [July 10] at 12:10 p.m. local time, on grounds of targeting the Iranian opposition groups in the region, Iranian artillery shelled areas of Barbazin and Dere, and the villages of Dustanan, Zhuzhila and Talan. Unfortunately, a Kurdish girl named Zaitun Qadir, 18 years old, was martyred, and two of her brothers — Ali, 14 years, and Sirwan, aged 23, were severely injured.”

“The civilians were engaged with agricultural work in Dere village when the Islamic Republic of Iran’s artillery hit them. Consequently, all orchards and wild pastures burned and local citizens evacuated the area. We call on both Iran to halt shelling and the Iranian parties to not launch attacks on Iran from our area, for the sake of protecting civilian lives and their properties.”

Mr Chalabi said that Iran has haphazardly shelled the area from time to time, he insisted there were no clear headquarters and bases of Iranian opposition parties in the area.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Wednesday in a statement condemned the bombardment and said it “will not allow its border to be used for attacking and disrupting the security of neighbor countries.”

ANF reported that at 9 am the following day Iran and Turkey continued to bombard the Balakati and Bradost regions throughout the day with howitzers, mortars and katusha rockets aided by Iranian reconnaissance planes.

It was reported that whilst the villagers tried to extinguish the fires caused by the bombardments, hundreds of hectares of land was burnt.

EKurd Daily also reported that a girl was killed and her two brothers injured. According to the source, the Iranian army also shelled the villages of Kudo, Alana, and Gundzhor in Haji Omaran of Iraqi Kurdistan.

The incident occured at 12:10:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Zaitun Qadir
18 years old female killed
Ali
14 years old male Brother of Zaitun Qadir injured
Sirwan
23 years old male Brother of Zaitun Qadir injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Iranian Military, Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Iranian army shells Bradost sub-district in Iraqi Kurdistan, July 10, 2019. Photo: Screengrab/Rudaw TV
  • A picture showing what is said to be Iranian shelling of Iraqi Kurdistan, seen in an image uploaded July 11, 2019. - Twitter/@PDKIenglish

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Dere (ديري), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.098683, 43.520804. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Iranian Military Assessment:

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

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Iranian Military, Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]