Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Local media reported that six civilians were injured following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas”.
According to Nuce 24, the Turkish military occupation army targeted the village of Aranda, in the area of Shih, with an artillery shell poisoned by chemical gas (it is not yet known what the gas was). A doctor noted that the injured were suffering from nausea, burning in the eyes, itching in the body and vomiting.
Multiple sources named six injured victims.
According to Nuce, the clothes of victims had been sent for analysis to determine what chemical agents were involved.
Afrin Now reported a statement from the management of Afrin Hospital. The second page is from the chemistry lab and reads: The central chemistry lab in Afreen carried out tests of earth samples presented by you on 16/2/2018 from the village of Arnada in Sheikh al Hadid area [the location of the raid]. The results were that the earth samples contain high levels of chlorine. Other samples from around the village were tested and did not contain any chlorine 18/2/2018.
Rojava and IC Afrinresistance citing the Efrîn Health Council and the Official Press Conference on the attack also confirmed the presence of chlorine.
The Kurdish Red Crescent reported that the six injured experienced several symptoms suspected of as symptoms of chemical gas, such as respiratory issues – cough – eczema – skin irritation, narrowing pupil. The medics also suffered from skin itching and teary eyes.
It was later reported that analysis had shown traces of chlorine. According to Xeber 24: In a statement issued by the Health Council in Afrin province on 18 February 2018, the Afrin Hospital proved that the Turkish army used chlorine gas in the village of Aranda in the province of Shih. The Board indicated that they had based their report on samples that had been detected in the hospital’s laboratories.
Reuters later carried a denial by an unnamed Turkish military source: These are baseless accusations. Turkey never used chemical weapons. We take utmost care about civilians in Operation Olive Branch. According to Reuters, the source also described the accusations of wounding six civilians through a suspected gas attack as black propaganda.
In a report by Reuters, Turkey denied using chemical weapons. Reuters reported: Turkey never used chemical weapons in its operations in Syria, and takes the utmost care of civilians, a Turkish diplomatic source said, after Syrian Kurdish forces and a monitoring group accused it of carrying out a gas attack in Syria’s Afrin region.
These are baseless accusations. Turkey never used chemical weapons. We take utmost care about civilians in Operation Olive Branch, the source said.
The source also described the accusations of wounding six civilians through a suspected gas attack as black propaganda.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Summary
Sources (23) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (24) [ collapse]
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An image shows a victim suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas” Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. (Source: Rumaf)
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An image shows a victim suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas” Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. (Source: Rumaf)
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An image shows a victim suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas”, Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. (Source: Rumaf)
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An image shows a victim suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas” Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. (Source: Nuce24)
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An image shows a victim suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas” Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. (Source: Nuce24)
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An image shows a victim suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas” Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. (Source: Afrin Now)
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A picture shows a victim suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas” Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. (Source: Afrin Now)
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An image shows a victim suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas” Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. (Source: Kurdish Red Crescent)
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An image shows a victim suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas” Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. (Source: Kurdish Red Crescent)
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An image shows a victim suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas”Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. (Source: Kurdish Red Crescent)
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An image shows a victim suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas” Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. (Source: Kurdish Red Crescent)
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An image shows a victim suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas” Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. (Source: Kurdish Red Crescent)
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An image shows a victim suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas” Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. (Source: Kurdish Red Crescent)
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An image shows a number of victims who suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas” Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. ( Source: Kurdistan24)
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An image shows a victim suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas” Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. ( Source: Kurdistan24)
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An image shows a victim suffocated following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas” Aranda, Afrin 16th February 2018. ( Source: Kurdistan24)
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Interview.
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Statement from the management of Afrin Hospital to the world's public opinion and international organisations regarding the cases that were taken to a hospital from the village of Aranda and confirmed that the Turkish occupation used chemical gases.
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From chemistry lab. The central chemistry lab in Afreen carried out tests of earth samples presented by you on 16/2/2018 from the village of Arnada in Sheikh al Hadid area [the location of the raid] The results were that the earth samples contain high levels of chlorine Other samples from around the village were tested and did not contain any chlorine 18/2/2018
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the subdistrict of Aranda, Afrin (ارندة, 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.