Incident Code

YS084

Location

عفرين, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.511389, 36.864167
Accuracy: City

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

At least one child and one woman were killed in alleged YPG artillery strikes on the city of Afrin, Aleppo governorate on January 20th, 2020. Up to five civilians, including two children, were injured, as reported by local sources.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that “the child Muhammad Mar’i and Mrs. Turfah Meqdeh were killed as Syrian Democratic forces fired shells on Al Shari’ya neighbourhood in Afrin city in the northern suburbs of Aleppo governorate, on January 20.” The Syrian Civil Defence reported the death of the child Mohamed Buraei and Tarfa Maqdah. As all sources mention one killed boy, it is likely that sources reported on the same victim. In a statement to Enab Baladi, Ibrahim Abu Al-Laith, director of the media office for the Syrian Civil Defense in Aleppo, stated that the killed woman was 19 years old.

@abowaelo tweeted a photo of a baby in the hospital, stating that the mother of the child was killed during the shelling earlier that day and that doctors managed to save the child by a caesarean operation on the deceased mother. The mother was displaced from Al Midan neighbourhood in Damascus. It is unclear if this victim is the same victim identified as Tarfa Maqdah, although all sources reported one killed woman.

The SCD reported two injured: the children Mehyar Khalaf and Saleh Buraei. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “‘Kurdish forces carried out rocket attacks from their deployment positions in northern rural Aleppo.” SOHR reported five injured, including children and women.

Whereas @abowaelo reported that the incident occured in the morning, Zaman Al Wasl stated it occurred in the afternoon. Whereas most sources blamed the SDF, @naserhmedi reported that PKK forces fired three missiles onto the city.

Victims

Family members (2)

Child male injured

Individuals

19 years old female possibly pregnant killed
Child male injured
Child male killed

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Strike Type
Artillery
Strike Status
Likely strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Civilians reported killed
2–4
1–2 Children
Civilians reported injured
2–5
2 Children, 2 Women

Geolocation Notes

Reports of the incident mention strikes on the city of Afrin (عفرين), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.511389, 36.864167. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Military Statements

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

Media From Sources (5)