Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

TS661

Incident date

November 23, 2023

Location

قرية عامودا, Amuda, Hasakah countryside, Al Hasakah, Syria

Airwars assessment

On the 23rd of November, 2023, an alleged Turkish drone strike on a car reportedly killed one civilian and seriously wounded two others in the town of Amuda, Al-Hasakah Governorate in north-eastern Syria. Amouda News initially identified three wounded civilians as: Munir Abdel Fares, his wife Ronak Suleiman Muhammad, and Joan  (Jwan) Suleiman Muhammad. The following day, it was reported by the Amouda Media Centre that Jwan Suleiman Muhammad, initially wounded in the strike, had died of his injuries.

Reporting the alleged drone strike, Ciaxa niha, a local news company, posted two photos dated the 23rd of November on Facebook which showed a white car engulfed in flames at the side of the road near to Shweish gas station. Rojava News, on the 24th of November, stated via Facebook that the car had been “carrying three civilians from one family in the town of Amuda.” The post by Rojava News additionally contained photos of those injured being treated in hospital.

Amouda News stated on Facebook, on the 24th of November, that following the strike the three civilians had been taken to a hospital in the neighboring city of Qamishli to the east of Amuda. In a separate post, on the 24th of November, Amouda News reported that Jwan Suleiman Muhammad had died of his wounds.

Messages of condolence were posted online following Jwan Suleiman Muhammad’s death. These included a Facebook post on the 24th of November from his childhood friend Obayda Khalil and, on the same day, a post from the Kabara Social Cooperative Council in the Kurdish region.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) in an online article written on the 24th of November, placed the alleged drone strike within the wider context of “a new escalation by the Turkish Air Force within areas of influence by the Syrian Democratic Forces in northeastern Syria, targeting civilians and soldiers.”

Where sources identified a belligerent, all sources attributed the drone strike to Turkish forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Munir Abdel Fares منير عبد الفارس
Adult male injured
Ronak Suleiman Muhammad رونق سليمان محمد
Adult female injured
Joan Suleiman Muhammad جوان سليمان محمد
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (14) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Rojava news facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Rojava news facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Rojava news facebook
  • Source: Xilaxa Niha facebook
  • Source: Xilaxa Niha facebook
  • Source: Amouda news facebook
  • Source: Amouda news facebook
  • Source: Amouda media center facebook
  • Source: Amouda media center facebook
  • Source: Amouda republic facebook
  • Source: Obayda Khalil facebook
  • Source: Mahmoud Ayoubd facebook
  • Source: Roz Press facebook
  • Source: Idris Qaso facebook

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]