Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

YS005

Incident date

January 22, 2018

Location

قريق خان, Qeireikhan, Hattai, Syria

Geolocation

36.497278, 36.358944 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One or two civilians died in an alleged rocket or mortar attack by the YPG on the Qeireikhan district in Hattai state, Turkey, according to local media – though there is some uncertainty over the combatant status of the victims. Turkish sources reported that the victims were civilians, while opposition forces claimed that they were fighters.

Bloomberght, Diken News and NTV News put the death toll at one civilian with two more wounded, reporting that the casualties occurred when rockets were fired by the YPG into the Qeireikhan district of Hattai. @EbuMuaz08 put the death toll at two.

However, Afrin Now claimed that the “two dead” were Turkish soldiers and not civilians. It added that “12 Syrian opposition fighters were wounded” after their camp in Hattai was reportedly targeted by the YPG. 

Al Jazeera corroborated the claim that the camp was the target, reporting that: “The target was a camp set up by Turkey for the FSA, whose members are moving between the two borders and helping in the olive branch operation, with the help of Turkish special forces. One of those camps was directly on the border directly in the village of Qaraqala which is in the district of Qeireikhan. A katyusha rocket was fired on the camp which killed 2 FSA members and injured 12 others.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    YPG

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Translation: Two dead and 12 wounded Syrian opposition fighters were killed after targeting their camp in the province of Hatay in Turkey.

YPG Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    YPG
  • YPG position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    YPG

Sources (12) [ collapse]