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

TS486

Incident date

January 23, 2022

Location

العليمات, Alimat, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.387671, 38.863106 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians, two women and two children, were injured in alleged Turkish strikes on the village of Alimat on January 23, 2022.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the intense missile shelling by Turkish forces resulted in the injury of four civilians, two of whom were in serious condition, in the village of Alimat.

Ajansa Nûçeyan a Firate (ANF) also reported that four civilians, two women and two children, were injured in the village of Alimat west of Ain Issa. ANF also provided the names of those injured: Nabil Al-Talib (two years old), Raghad Ali (15 years old), Suha Issa Al-Fayyadh (21 years old), and Baraa Omar Hussein (18 years old) and reported that they were transferred to a hospital in the city of Raqqa for treatment of their injuries, which were critical.

Both sources that reported on the incident attributed the shelling to Turkish forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Nabil Al-Talib نبيل الطالب
2 years old injured
Raghad Ali رغد علي
15 years old injured
Suha Issa Al-Fayyadh سها عيسى الفياض
21 years old injured
Baraa Omar Hussein
118 years old 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 (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A child injured in alleged Turkish strikes on the village of Alimat on January 23, 2022. (Image posted by Ajansa Nûçeyan a Firate)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Alimat (العليمات) allegedly west of the town 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: 36.387671, 38.863106.

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 (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS513

Incident date

June 2, 2022

Location

دادا عبدال, Dada Abdel, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.8908577, 40.337634 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and two civilians, including a child, were injured in alleged Turkish strikes on the village of Dada Abdel in Zarkan district on June 2, 2022.

Hawar News reported that two people were injured when Turkish forces bombed the center of Zarghan district, its hospital, and villages, destroying a number of houses.

Xeber24 added that a child was injured in the bombing, providing the child’s name: (Murtaza Al-Mustaif), who was injured in the foot and taken to a hospital in the city of Ad-Darbasiyah. The source also specified that the bombing occurred in the village of Dada Abdel in Zarkan district.

Alarm News identified the injured child as being from the the village of Um Mahramleh and Hawar News reported that the child that was injured, Murtaza, is 14 years old.

All of the sources attributed the strikes to Turkish forces, and Xeber24 added that since the morning of June 1st the Turkish army had launched more than 80 shells at the Zarkan district.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Murtaza Al-Mustaif مرتضى المصطيف
14 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A 14 year old child named Murtaza was injured in alleged Turkish shelling of the Zarghan district on June 2, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A 14 year old child named Murtaza was injured in alleged Turkish shelling of the Zarghan district on June 2, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Dada Abdel (دادا عبدال), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.8908577, 40.337634. 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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS512a

Incident date

June 1, 2022

Location

Gorik, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.692957, 38.948765 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was injured in alleged Turkish shelling of the village of Gorik in western Gire Spi Canton on June 1, 2022.

According to Hawar News, Mohamed Ismail, known as Abu Umar was injured in Turkish shelling of the village of Gorik in western Gire Spi Canton. Abu Umar was taken to Manbij hospital but there was no further information on his condition.

@RojavaIC similarly reported that Mohamed Ismail was injured in Syrian National Army shelling near Tel Abyad.

There were no other sources that reported on this incident. No other information is available to Airwars at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohamed Ismail
Adult male known as Abu Umar 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 (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Mohamed Ismail, known as Abu Umar, who was injured in alleged Turkish shelling of the village of Gorik in western Gire Spi Canton on June 1, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Gorik, allegedly located in the western area of Tell Abyad (تل ابيض) subdistrict. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Tell Abyad subdistrict are: 36.692957, 38.948765.

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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 (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS564

Incident date

November 6, 2022

Location

قامشلو, Qamishlo, Al-Hasakah, Syria

Airwars assessment

Three civilians, including an unknown number of children, were reported injured as a result an alleged Turkish drone strike on a vehicle on Al-Hizam Al-Ghaby Road, near Al-Saada School in Al-Qamishly city in Al-Hasakah countryside, Syria, on November 6th 2022.

Two to three SDF fighters, including a commander and a driver, were also reportedly killed in this attack.  Hussein Bari reported that one SDF member killed was the “fighter” Kamal Muhammad Ali, possibly also known as “Mitan Shorsch”.

The media center of the Syrian Democratic Forces issued this statement: “The Turkish occupation’s attacks against civilians’ places and properties continue, and yesterday, Sunday, November 6, and in thevening hours when a fighter from our forces was spending his vacation in his home and was walking around with two of his civilian comrades, they were targeted by the Turkish occupation army.”

“The car in which our fighter, “Mitan Shorsch” and his two companions, was travelling, was targeted by a drone of the Turkish occupation army, which resulted in the death of our comrade Mitan, and the injury of civilians.”

 

 

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
    Unknown
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2–3

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • "QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) - A fighter of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) lost his life after a Turkish drone hit his car in the city of Qamishli in northeast Syria on Sunday." (North Press Agency)
  • An alleged Turkish drone strike hit a vehicle, injuring three civilian passerbys on November 6th 2022 (Image via Dilovan Çeto / Facebook)
  • "The martyrdom of the fighter Kamal Muhammad Ali, son of the city of Sere-Kaniye, during the bombing of a Turkish march on a car in the city of Qamishlo", SDF militant reported killed (Image via حسين بري Hussein Bari / Facebook)

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
    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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2–3

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS594

Incident date

May 17, 2023

Location

جديدة, Jadeda, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.856194, 39.420054 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians, including at least one child, were injured by alleged Turkish shelling of Jadeda village on May 17, 2023.

Rohani TV reported that Turkish forces bombarded Jadeda village, resulting in the injury of three civilians: Muhammad Fawaz Al-Waqqa, his brother Mahmoud Fawaz Al-Waqqa, and Muhammad Salem Kamal. The director of the National Hospital in the city of Raqqa, Ibrahim al-Omar, told Rohani TV that their condition is stable.

North Press Agency also reported 3 civilians injured, and provided the age of two of the  victims : 17 year old Mahmoud Fawaz Al-Waqqa and 32 year old Kamal Mahmoud al-Wagaa (unclear if this is Muhammad Fawaz Al-Waqqa or Muhammad Salem Kamal listed above). According to a medical source at the Emergency Department at the Raqqa National Hospital, both Mahmoud and Kamal were immediately admitted into the operating room and were in critical condition. A cousin of the third victim told North Press that he and his cousin were grazing their sheep when they were struck by Turkish artillery.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights referred to those injured in Jadeda village as two “tunnel workers” and a 13 year old boy.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Muhammad Fawaz Al-Waqqa'
male injured
Mahmoud Fawaz Al-Waqqa'
male injured

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Salem Kamal
Age unknown injured

Summary

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

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Jadeda (جديدة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.856194, 39.420054. 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 infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI094

Incident date

August 11, 2023

Location

بنجوين, Penjwin district, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

Airwars assessment

On August 11, 2023, three civilians, including at least one woman (who may have been under 18), were reportedly killed after being struck by a Turkish drone in the Penjwin district of Sulaymaniyah governorate. According to media coverage of this event, the victims were killed while driving towards the Iranian border.

In its coverage of this event, Roj News identified the victims, stating, “The sources stated that the names of the three citizens who lost their lives are Hassan Ahmed, his wife and daughter.” as well as identifying the victims as being from Mosul in Dohuk Governorate, including one of the victims who was an employee of Assil Company. Other local sources refer to the company as being called Asiacell and quoted the director of the Asiacell office in Dohuk, Bassam Sayed, who said that Hassan Ahmed has worked as an engineer for them since 2021.

Asiacell released a statement to Shafaq News that: “The victim’s name is (Hassan Ahmed Kashmoula), of Arab nationalism, and he is from Mosul. He came to visit his daughter at the Bashmakh border crossing, where she was a student at the Faculty of Medicine at Sanandaj University in Iran, and he intended to return her to Mosul and the other two who were inside the car.” They (his son and daughter) are called (Ziyad Mustafa Khader), and they are from the Rashidiya neighborhood in Mosul, and the girl was born in 2006, and they came for the same purpose.”

While Rudaw’s account differed in that it states Ahmed’s friend was killed, rather than wife, it provided more context, reportedly quoting Nizar Ahmed Kashmoula, the brother of one of the victims, who “indicated that they were heading to the Iranian border to receive their cousin and the son of his brother’s friend, who are studying together at the Faculty of Engineering.” Rudaw identified the victims as Hassan Ahmed, “Ziyad Mustafa, a friend of Hassan Ahmed,” and Rayan Ziyad Mustafa, a student at the Faculty of Medicine.”

Following this incident, outlets including ANF Arabic and Rudaw published images that purportedly show the damage to the car occupied by the affected civilians. In these images, the vehicle is heavily damaged and on fire, positioned on the side of a road.  Rudaw also identified the vehicle as being a white Toyota Corolla.

Rudaw noted that the Turkish Anti-Terrorism Service claimed to have targeted two vehicles operated by militants affiliated with the PKK on the same day. While neither statement can be matched with certainty to this specific incident, Rudaw reports that the organization reported the day’s events in the following terms: “The Anti-Terrorism Service said: “A Turkish drone targeted a car belonging to the PKK, near the village of Kalala” in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, which resulted in “the death of a PKK intelligence official and the wounding of two others.” He added that another attack by a Turkish drone targeted “a car of PKK members near the village of Qala in the Khalkan region,” also in Sulaymaniyah, which led to the death of “a PKK member and the injury of two others.” The director of Nalbariz district in Penjween district in Sulaymaniyah governorate, Hemin Ibrahim, told Rudaw that he was confident that the bombing was carried out by a drone because of the holes left on the street.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Hassan Ahmed
Adult male killed
Ziyad Mustafa Khader
17 years old female killed
Rayan Ziyad Mustafa
killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 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

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Vehicle struck by alleged Turkish drone strikes in Sulaymaniyah on August 11, 2023. (Image posted by Roj News)
  • Vehicle struck by alleged Turkish drone strikes in Sulaymaniyah on August 11, 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
    3
  • (1 child1 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

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI096

Incident date

September 27, 2023

Location

قرية بوگریسکان, Bugriskan village, Sinjar district, Bashdar district , Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Iraq

Airwars assessment

A woman was killed and a man injured by two drone strikes, allegedly conducted by the Turkish military, on the village of Bugriskan, in the Sinjar district on September 27th, 2023. The strikes were also reported to have killed six Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants.

Bas News reported that the casualties occurred in “two separate air attacks,” within 10 minutes of each other: the first at 11AM followed by a second at approximately 11:10. The first strike allegedly killed four PKK members, and, due to proximity, also inflicted the first civilian injury of Mirza Ibrahim. The second strike killed two further PKK members, and severely injured 50-year-old Esti Mohammad.

After the first strike injured villager Mirza Ibrahim, and Esti Mohammad, seeing the strike near her home, went to help him. She was severely injured in the second strike; she would later die of her injuries after having been transported to a hospital in Rania. Mirza was also taken to the hospital for recovery.

Esti was the mother of seven children. Born in Zanjilan, she had been a resident of Rania for several years. She had lived in Bugriskan for ten years, and worked breeding livestock. She was engaged in her community, and a committed activist against Turkish strikes in the region.

The incident occured between 11:00 am and 11:10 am local time.

The victims were named as:

Esti Muhammad استي محمد
50 years old female killed
Mirza Ibrahim ميرزا إبراهيم
Adult male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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.
  • Impact
    Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF
  • Belligerents reported killed
    6

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Source: Roj 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
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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.
  • Impact
    Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF
  • Belligerents reported killed
    6

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS137

Incident date

January 28, 2018

Location

راحو, Rajo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

The Kurdish Red Crescent reported that six civilian males were injured – some seriously – in the Rajo area of Afrin Canton.

In a report seen by Airwars six civilians were named as injured – see list below.

Ta3oob_11 reported that “Turkish aircraft heavily bombarded civilian homes in the areas of Raju and Jenders, resulting in a large number of civilian casualties”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Rojin Qahraman
16 years old male injured
Osman Hyder Muhammad
62 years old male injured
Amad Tolhildan
20 years old male injured
Giwan Rashed
29 years old male injured
Ali Shekri Abdo
35 years old male injured
Sepan Abdo
38 years old male injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Rajo (راحو), 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
    6
  • 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]