Incident Code

YS158

Location

Karkamış, Gaziantep, Türkiye

Airwars Assessment

Last Updated: December 15, 2024

Two to three civilians were reportedly killed, and six to ten others were injured, two seriously, as a result of alleged PKK/YPG counterfire rocket artillery fire which hit Karkamış, Gaziantep, in Turkey on November 15th 2022.

@ConflictTR reported that the Minister of Interior for Turkey, Suleyman Soylu, said that one civilian that was killed was a teacher and another was a child. One of the injured was reported to have been a healthcare worker who was hit whilst attempting a rescue after the first rocket hit.

According to @AmRaadPSF, one of the seven rockets which fell on the village hit a primary school. The Daily Sabah reported that three schools were hit, alongside two houses and a truck.

The Daily Sabah also reported that the child who was killed was the nephew of Mahir Polat, deputy of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). Polat was reported to tweet, “Our nephew Hasan Karataş lost his life in the rocket attack organized by the treacherous terrorist organization in Gaziantep’s Karkamış district.”

The teacher who was killed was named Aysenur Alkan, and one of her loved ones tweeted, “I lost all hope that everything will be fine.” Her father also said, “I’ve been calling since nine in the morning but I can’t reach him. It was a daily commute. I don’t want to say anything. I’m burning inside…”  The child who was reported killed was identified as Hasan Karataş, aged five.

The attack was reported to have been a double-tap strike, as one of the wounded, health worker, Mehmet Goren, said that “there was a civilian under debris, we were helping them. At that moment another bomb came. With the quake, I found myself in the stairwell. Then I was brought to the hospital. I believe my leg is broken.”

Victims

Invidivuals

Hasan Karataş
Child male killed
Aysenur Alkan
Adult female killed
Mehmet Goren
Adult female injured

Key Information

Country
Military Actor
Strike Type
Artillery
Strike Status
Likely strike
Civilian Harm Reported
Yes
Civilian Harm Status
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Civilians reported killed
2–3
1 Child, 1 Woman
Civilians reported injured
6–10

Military Statements

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

Media From Sources (17)