Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

TS543

Incident date

August 9, 2022

Location

سيكركا, Sikirka, Al Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

37.052436, 41.851494 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Six civilians, including four children and women, were injured in alleged Turkish shelling of the village of Sikirka east of Qamishli city on August 9, 2022.

Hawar News reported that Turkish bombings of multiple villages east of Qamishli city and in Amuda sub-district resulted in the injury of seven civilians, four of whom are children. Hawar also documented the names of the six civilians that were injured in the village of Sikirka: Halabja Rashid 33 years old, Arin Abdel Aziz Al-Hassan 38 years old, children Muhammad Salah 12 years old, Miran Salah 10 years old, Ilan Salah 5 years old, and Baland Muhammad Shams El-Din 16 years old. The correspondent for Hawar confirmed that the injured were being treated at Al-Rahma Hospital in Qamishlo city.

A Facebook post by “Human rights in Jazeera” stated that the artillery shells launched at the village of Sikirka struck a home and resulted in the injury of women and children, without specifying how many. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported that children were injured without providing a number.

Nor Mahmod posted on Facebook that three of the people injured were from the same family, and their home that was struck by the shelling is located “near the silos”. Kurdistan Rêbaza Barzaniyê Nemir added that the shelling caused an exodus of citizens from the area, displacing hundreds, due to the mortars and heavy machine guns.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the shelling to Turkey. A Facebook post by “Kurdistan Rêbaza Barzaniyê Nemir” reported that an exchange of shelling took place between the SDF and the Turkish army, and specified that the shell that struck a home in the village of Sikirka and caused civilian casualties was launched by the army from inside Turkish territory.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Muhammad Salah محمد صالح
12 years old injured
Miran Salah ميران صلاح
10 years old injured
Ilan Salah ايلان صلاح
5 years old injured

The victims were named as:

Halabja Rashid حلبجة رشيد
33 years old injured
Arin Abdel Aziz Al-Hassan آرين عبد العزيز الحسن
38 years old injured
Baland Muhammad Shams El-Din بلند محمد شمس الدين
16 years old injured

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Sikirka (سيكركا), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.052436,41.851494. 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
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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
    YPG/SDF

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Qashlou August 9, 2022 The Turkish occupation army bombed the villages of Sikirka and Tel Ziwan in Qamishlo, and reports of injuries The Turkish occupation army bombed with artillery shells the villages of Sikarka and Tel Ziwan, east of Qamishlo city, amid preliminary reports of a direct hit to a house in Sikarka and injuries, including children and women. and injuring others.
  • Civilians injured by alleged Turkish shelling of multiple villages east of Qamishli city and in Amuda sub-district (TS543 and TS544) on August 9, 2022. (Image posted by Hawar News)
  • Damage to a residential home east of Qamishli on August 9, 2022. (Image posted by Nor Mahmod via Facebook)
  • Damage to a residential home east of Qamishli on August 9, 2022. (Image posted by Nor Mahmod via Facebook)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Woman injured by alleged Turkish shelling of multiple villages east of Qamishli city and in Amuda sub-district (TS543 and TS544) on August 9, 2022. (Image posted by Kurdistan Rêbaza Barzaniyê Nemir)

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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
    YPG/SDF

Sources (7) [ collapse]