Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

TS295

Incident date

October 9, 2019

Location

Mitkalta village, Tal Abyad, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.556229, 39.107500 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two or three civilians from the same family – a father, mother, and their child – died in an alleged Turkish strike on Matkalat village in the countryside of Tal Abyad area in the northern countryside of Al-Raqqah, according to local media.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that “three people, a man, his wife, and their child,” died.

However, @NPA_SY put the death toll at two (the man and his wife), reporting that they died when a Turkish airstrike hit their house.

Hawar News named the three victims, but said that the child had survived the attack.

According to Hawar News, “The Turkish army attacked the village of Metlkalta with missiles. Rebia Masmaîl and Mihemed Hac Qadir were slaughtered and their 9-year-old son Rêzan Masmaîl was injured as a result of the missile hitting the vehicle they were in. Rêzan Îsmaîl, who has four brothers and a sister, is being treated at Minbic Hospital.”

The source added: “Nine-year-old Rêzan is unaware of the death of his parents. Enwer Umer, one of Rêzan’s relatives, said: ‘My children called me. They said that four missiles were thrown into the village by the occupying Turkish state. One of the missiles hit a vehicle carrying Rêzan and his family”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Adult female killed
Adult male killed
9 years old male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the subdistrict of Mitkalta village, Tal Abyad, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.556229, 39.107500. 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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • 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 belligerent
    Turkish Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Kurdish Red Crescent list of casualties caused by Turkish military attacks between 9 and 13 Oct 2019

  • Mrs. Rabeah Ismail and her husband Mohammad Hajj Qader Ismail. (via SN4HR)

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
    2 – 3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • 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 belligerent
    Turkish Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]