On the morning of Saturday, May 18, 2024, an alleged artillery strike carried out by Turkish forces and allied factions on the civilian homes located in the Syrian village of Al-Tokhar in the northeastern countryside of Manbij, northeast of Aleppo, injured three civilians, including a child.

According to local sources referencing the Manbij Military Council, the injured civilians were named Muhammad Al-Faisal Al-Saleh, 14 years old, injured in one of his feet, Ramadan Abdel Bakir, 18 years old, injured in his ear, and Wassim Ibrahim Al-Omar, 21 years old, injured in one of his fingers.

The young men were transferred to a local hospital for assistance. Hawar News Agency posted a video to Facebook on May 18 showing three young men in the hospital after receiving treatment, with casts or medical dressings visible on their fingers, wrists, and feet. The injuries do not appear to be critical.

Ramadan Abdel Bakir, a young man with a thick beard, wearing a cap, black NIKE pullover, and jeans lying on a hospital bed, told reporters about his injury: “My name is Ramadan abd al Dakeer, I am 18 years old from Al Toukhar area. I was sitting at home and suddenly the shells attacked us and I was injured on my ear and can’t hear anymore.”

Another injured man, Wassim Ibrahim, a young man with long hair and a beard, dressed in a black shirt and black trousers lying on a hospital bed, also shared the details of the incident: “My name is Waseem Ibrahim. We were subjected to bombing on our house which is located near the frontline. The bombing caused an injury in my hand and they kept bombing our houses.”

A teenager Muhammad Al-Saleh did not speak to the reporters – he was shown lying on a hospital bed with his eyes closed, connected to an IV, with his left leg in plaster.

Citing the Manbij Military Council of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), 963 Media reported that Turkish forces fired more than 20 munitions and artillery shells at Al-Tokhar and Al-Jat, both villages under SDF control. The outlet also reported that Turkish forces had shelled SDF-held areas on a “daily basis” citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

SOHR also noted that Turkish forces had fired on “residential areas” in those villages and that the shelling took place alongside flights by Turkish reconnaissance aircraft.

While all sources said the bombing was carried out by Turkish forces, numerous sources, including FOX Press, 963 Media News, and ANF News made note of the involvement of allied factions working with Turkish forces, referring to them as “loyal” Syrian opposition factions or, more diminutively, “mercenaries”.