Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

TI102

Incident date

February 20, 2024

Location

قرية كافيا, Kafya, in the Dinatra area of Akre [Akri/Aqra] district of Duhok, Iraq, Duhok, Iraq

Airwars assessment

Around 18:30 on the evening of Tuesday, February 20th, 2024, an alleged Turkish airstrike killed two elderly men and injured at least one other civilian in the village of Kafya, in the Dinatra area of Akre [Akri/Aqra] District of Duhok, northern Iraq.

The two victims were 65-year-old Bashir Omar and 70-year-old Arif Taha, residents of the villages of Garbish and Dawudiyah in the Nahla region. Kurdistan24 shared the images of the two men – one of them an elderly man with a receding hairline dressed in a white shirt, and another one with a mustache and wearing a kafya on his head.

Additionally, Kurdistan24 and Akhbaralaan reported one injured civilian as a result of the airstrike. Azzaman News and Al Jeebal mentioned instead that two civilians were injured.

Rudaw News shared a picture of the events, showing two bodies lying on the ground, covered with blankets. A group of men were rushing around the bodies while another illuminated the scene with an electric torch. According to the Al-Jabal Agency, the bodies of the two victims were still at the scene of the accident at the time of reporting, and the people were unable to transport them to the city due to the continuing bombing.

According to Rudaw News, the victims were among four citizens of the abandoned village had returned to tend their orchards.

All the sources identify the Turkish military as responsible for the attack.

The incident occured at approximately 6:30 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Bashir Omar بشير عمر
65 years old male killed
Arif Taha, عارف طه
70 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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.
  • Impact
    Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Source: Rudaw news
  • Source: Kurdistan24 news
  • Source: Darkamazi news

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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.
  • Impact
    Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]