Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

TS435

Incident date

May 16, 2020

Location

Qeşqa, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.630682, 40.024910 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian was killed and an unknown number of others was wounded when Turkish forces and Turkey-backed militants opened fire at a car in northwest Ras Al Ayn city on May 16th, 2020.

A reporter for the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), which is affiliated with the Syrian regime, in Hasaka stated that “the occupation forces and their mercenaries intentionally opened fire on a van coming for Raqqa city near a checkpoint for the occupation mercenary on Saturday [May 16th]”, adding that the killed man worked in a school while the injured man is a retired worker from an electricity company.

@IbrahimDSY wrote on Twitter that there had been “one civilian martyr and another wounded, as the Turkish occupation forces and its terrorist mercenaries, fired on a civilian car near a terrorist barrier southwest of Ras Al Ayn.”

ANF stated that “the slain civilian is Mihemed Hesen El Cabir from the village of Migrin, west of Til Helef, who was on his way home back from Raqqa last night with others when Turkish-backed jihadists opened fire on the group. Several other people were injured. The man’s body was taken to Selam Hospital in Serêkaniyê.”

@vvanwilgenburg, however, reported that two civilians were killed, naming them as Mihemed Xidir Husên and Ziyab El-Elî.

The incident occured during the night.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult male killed

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Qeşqa, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.630682, 40.024910. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]