Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

Turkey fought numerous military actors after intervening militarily in the Syrian Civil War in 2015, primarily against Kurdish forces but also at times the Islamic State. In northern Iraq, Turkey’s military campaign against Kurdish militant groups has expanded in recent years.

Airwars has documented hundreds of allegations of civilian harm by Turkish strikes against Kurdish-affiliated forces in Iraq and Syria since 2015.

Airwars estimate of civilian deaths

868 – 1,329

Locally reported civilian deaths from declared or likely Turkish Military actions in Iraq and Syria for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by the Turkish Military. These originate from 885 separate alleged incidents.

175 – 199
children likely killed
128 – 143
women likely killed
2,072
likely injured
1,864
named victims

Turkish Military estimate of civilian deaths

0

Confirmed civilian deaths, from Turkish Military actions in Iraq and Syria, originating from 0 separate incidents of civilian harm.

civilians confirmed injured
Alleged deaths
1,598 – 2,302
Locally reported civilian deaths from Turkish Military actions in Iraq and Syria.
885 seperate alleged incidents
Confirmed or Fair
868 – 1,329
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by Turkish Military
646 seperate alleged incidents
Weak
116 – 134
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Weak.
159 seperate alleged incidents
Contested
313 – 538
Civilian deaths for which the reporting is assessed by Airwars as Contested.
78 seperate alleged incidents
Discounted
301
Civilian deaths were Discounted by Airwars after assessment.
2 seperate alleged incidents

Civilian Casualty Incidents — Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

Start Date

End Date

Strike Type

Causes of Death / Injury

Strike Status

Civilian Harm Status

Belligerent Assessment

Casualty

Infrastructure

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883 incidents
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Incident DatePublication Date

Incident Date

23 October 2024

Incident Code

TI114

Location

the village of Bari and Digor (Dokri) residential complex, Nineveh, Iraq
Between around 11:00-11:30 PM on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, an alleged Turkish drone strike on the village of Bari and the residential complex Digor (Dokri) in the Shingal District of Iraqi Kurdistan injured a woman named Enstar Khodada Ali Murad in Digor and another civilian in Bari. Roj News reported that the strike on Digor…

Summary

Published
27 December 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

10 September 2024

Incident Code

TI113

Location

مخيم مخمور, Makhmur camp between Mosul and south of Erbil, Erbil, Iraq
On Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at 5:05 PM, up to three women were injured, one of them critically, in an airstrike or drone attack allegedly perpetrated by the Turkish military on a residential house in the Makhmour (also called Rustam Judi) IDP camp located 60 Km southwest of Erbil in the Erbil region of Iraq.…

Summary

Published
10 September 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
IDP or Refugee Camp, Residential
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2–3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

7 September 2024

Incident Code

TS712

Location

شيراوا, Shirawa in the Afrin and Shahba cantons, Aleppo, Syria
During the afternoon of Saturday, 7th September 2024, a man was severely wounded - and later died of his injuries - by an artillery shelling allegedly perpetrated by the Turkish army on the village of Shirawa in Afrin and Shahba cantons, Aleppo, Syria. Khaled Mohammed Mohammed was killed as a result of the shelling. ANF…

Summary

Published
7 September 2024
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

5 September 2024

Incident Code

TS710

Location

قرية الجراد, Al-Jarad Village north of Manbij in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
During the early morning of Thursday, 5th September 2024, a drone strike injured a 40-year-old man in the village of Al-Jarad, north of Manbij in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, Syria. While several sources alleged the strike was perpetrated by the Turkish military, one source reported that the local “Military Council” shot down a Turkish…

Summary

Published
5 September 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
YPG, Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

4 September 2024

Incident Code

TI112

Location

خليكان, Dokan-Khalkan road near Khalkan village in Dokan District,  Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Iraq, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
During the afternoon of Wednesday, September 4th, 2024, three members of one family, including a child, were killed as a result of an alleged Turkish drone strike on a civilian Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle on the Dokan-Khalkan road near the village of Khalkan in the Dokan district of the Sulaymaniyah Governorate of Iraq. Muzaffar Hussein…

Summary

Published
4 September 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Vehicle
Civilians reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

30 August 2024

Incident Code

TS709

Location

قرية تل اللبن, Tal Al-Laban village in the countryside of the city of Tal Tamr, Al Hassakah, Syria
On August 30, 2024 at 14:55, a man was injured due to a shelling attack allegedly perpetrated by the Turkish military in the village of Tal Al-Laban in the countryside of the city of Tal Tamr in the Al-Hassakah governorate of Syria. The victim, Hamid al-Jassem, a 30-year-old man with a black beard and curly…

Summary

Published
30 August 2024
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident