Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

TS127

Incident date

January 26, 2018

Location

معبطلي, Ma'abatli village, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Between seven and nine civilians from one family died in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Ma’abatli village, according to sources on the ground. The family were reportedly from the city of Idlib. Local media said that three of them remained under the rubble.

The story of the family’s death formed the basis of an article by Robert Fisk in The Independent, who said the strike took place at around 1am and hit the family home: “When Taha Mustafa al-Khatr, his wife Amina, his two daughters Zakia and Safa and son Sulieman went to bed in the tiny village of Maabatli, they placed their shoes outside the door. Most Middle Eastern families do the same. It’s a tradition and a sign of cleanliness in the home. The cheap plastic slippers were still there, of course, when the Turkish shell hit their house at one in the morning – and when I arrived a few hours later, I found the same shoes, a few blown down the stairs but most still neatly lined up next to each other. Did one of the daughters choose the slippers with the plastic bows? Even the rescue workers – such as they are in the Kurdish province of Afrin – didn’t touch the shoes. They left one of the blood-soaked bedspreads where it was in the rain under the collapsed roof of the cheap breeze-block house. The bodies, of course, had gone.”

Al Jazeera put the death count at nine

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Taha Al-Khater
40 years old male reported by Free Afrin who said their “bodies arrived at the hospital” killed
Amina Al-Khater
40 years old female reported by Free Afrin who said their “bodies arrived at the hospital” killed
Zakiya al Khater
15 years old female reported by Free Afrin who said their “bodies arrived at the hospital” killed
Suleiman Al-Khater
14 years old male reported by Free Afrin who said their “bodies arrived at the hospital” killed
Israa Al-Khater
Adult female reported by Free Afrin who said their “bodies arrived at the hospital” killed
Mostafa Taha Al Khater
17 years old male named by the Kurdish Red Crescent killed
Yusra Taha Al Khater
9 years old female named by the Kurdish Red Crescent killed
Safa Taha Al Khater
19 years old female named by the Kurdish Red Crescent killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Ma’abatli village, Afrin (معبطلي), 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.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (4 children3 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (12) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on a civilian home in Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 26th January 2018. (via azzatBko)
  • Civilian bodies are dragged out of the rubble in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on a civilian home in Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 26th January 2018. (via azzatBko)
  • Civilian bodies are dragged out of the rubble in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on a civilian home in Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 26th January 2018. (via azzatBko)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The bodies of civilian casualties, killed as a result of an alleged Turkish airstrike on a civilian home in Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 26th January 2018. (via Nidal Hannan)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on a civilian home in Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 26th January 2018. (via Nidal Hannan)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on a civilian home in Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 26th January 2018. (via Nidal Hannan)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on a civilian home in Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 26th January 2018. (via Free Afrin)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Only the feet of a civilian can be seen after being trapped under the rubble following an alleged Turkish airstrike on a civilian home in Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 26th January 2018. (via Free Afrin)
  • Civilian bodies are dragged out of the rubble in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on a civilian home in Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 26th January 2018. (via Afrin Anha)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on a civilian home in Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 26th January 2018. (via Afrin Anha)
  • Civilian bodies are dragged out of the rubble in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on a civilian home in Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 26th January 2018. (via Arif Now)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The bodies of civilian casualties in the aftermath of an alleged Turkish airstrike on a civilian home in Ma'abatli village, Afrin, 26th January 2018. (via Arif Now)

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 9
  • (4 children3 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military

Sources (20) [ collapse]