Casualty Recording ▸ Conflicts

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

1,009 – 1,493

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 980 separate alleged incidents.

215 – 242
children likely killed
150 – 170
women likely killed
2,439
likely injured
2,230
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
1,752 – 2,484
Locally reported civilian deaths from Turkish Military actions in Iraq and Syria.
980 seperate alleged incidents
Confirmed or Fair
1,009 – 1,493
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by Turkish Military
731 seperate alleged incidents
Weak
116 – 134
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Weak.
164 seperate alleged incidents
Contested
326 – 556
Civilian deaths for which the reporting is assessed by Airwars as Contested.
82 seperate alleged incidents
Discounted
301
Civilian deaths were Discounted by Airwars after assessment.
2 seperate alleged incidents
969 incidents
Order results by:
Incident Date ↓ Publication Date

Incident Date

10 October 2019

Incident Code

TS302

Location

راس العين, Serekaniye, Al Hassakah, Syria
Between five and seven civilians were reported killed and five others injured in an alleged Turkish forces airstrike or artillery attack on Ras Al Ain, Hasakeh, Syria on October 10th 2019, according to local sources. Kurdish Red Crescent and Violation Documentation Center in North Syria named the seven victims as Ammar Abdo Al-Taym, Ahmed Mohammed…

Summary

Published
10 October 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported injured
4
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident →

Incident Date

10 October 2019

Incident Code

TS306A

Location

راس العين, Ras al Ain, Al Hassakah, Syria
Two civilians were reported killed in an alleged Turkish forces artillery strike on Ras Al Ain in Hasaka on October 10th 2019, according to local media sources. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR), Khalaf al Habloush and Khatib Sofi Hammi were killed in the attack.

Summary

Published
10 October 2019
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident →

Incident Date

9 October–10 December, 2019

Incident Code

TS306B

Location

الزيتونة, Al Zeytuniyyah, Al Hassakah, Syria
One woman was reported killed and several other civilians including children injured in an alleged Turkish forces artillery strike on Al Zeytouniyah in Qamishli, on October 9th or 10th 2019, according to local media sources. The Investigative Journal reported:  "Qamishlo, Syria-based journalist Baderkhan Ahmad tells the Investigative Journal about Turkey’s assault on northeastern Syria, including…

Summary

Published
10 October 2019
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
1–3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident →

Incident Date

9 October 2019

Incident Code

TS300A

Location

جل آغا, Jal Agha/Çil Axa, Al Hassakah, Syria
Two civilians were reported injured in an alleged Turkish forces airstrike and/or artillery strike on Jal Agha Village - Hassakah Governorate, on October 9th 2019, according to local sources. The injured civilians, both reported injured with shrapnel in the arm, were named as Ahmad Othman, 24 years old and Alih ALhassafi Saeed, 32 years old.…

Summary

Published
9 October 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident →

Incident Date

9 October 2019

Incident Code

TS300B

Location

القامشلي, Qamishli, Al Hassakah, Syria
Two civilians were reported injured in an alleged Turkish forces airstrike or artillery strike on Qamishli's Western Neighborhoud, on October 9th, 2019 according to local sources. Dalil Mousa (Delil Mousa), male, 32 years old and Yousef Mohammad Alih Anz, male, 28 years old were named by the Kurdish Red Crescent as the injured civilians. No further…

Summary

Published
9 October 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident →

Incident Date

9 October 2019

Incident Code

TS298A

Location

حي جرنك, Jarnak Neighbourhood, Al Hassakah, Syria
One civilian, named as Akram Yousef, was reported killed in an alleged Turkish forces airstrike or artillery strike on Hai Jarnak in Qamishli city, on October 9th, 2019 according to local media sources. Sources said that he was married with three children.  

Summary

Published
9 October 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Civilians reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident →

Research and Investigations

View all →
17 May, 2023
Visualisation
Iraq

Reported civilian deaths from Turkish Military strikes in Iraq

Database tracks casualties in Iraq during Turkish strikes
6 Sep, 2022
Visualisation
Iraq, Syria

Turkish Military in Iraq and Syria Casualty Map

Turkey has conducted hundreds of unilateral air and artillery strikes in both Syria and Iraq – as well as a small number of actions as part of the US-led Coalition against so-called Islamic State. From July 2015 in Iraq, occasional unilateral Turkish airstrikes began targeting Kurdish militants in northern Kurdistan. Thirteen months later, the first […]
8 Feb, 2022
Investigations
Iraq

Who killed Ahmed and Youssef?

When two Iraqi holidaymakers were killed in the Kurdish region of the country, the finger of blame turned to Turkish strikes. But this investigation finds a roadside bomb was the more likely cause.
25 Feb, 2021
Research
Iraq, Türkiye

Renewed military campaign in northern Iraq against PKK sees deaths of 13 Turkish captives

A renewed campaign by Turkey in mid February against a Kurdish militant faction – which has seen Turkish troops pushing deeper than ever before into northern Iraq – also saw the deaths of thirteen Turkish civilian and military captives in a highly controversial attack, Airwars monitoring of the region shows. On February 10th, the Turkish […]
24 Dec, 2019
Update
Syria

More than 220 civilians likely killed in Turkish invasion of northern Syria

Eleven weeks on from the October 9th launch of a Turkish-led offensive against Kurds in northern Syria, known as ‘Operation Peace Spring’, fighting continues to rage with civilians still encountering significant violence. Since the beginning of the latest clashes, Airwars researchers have overall monitored between 244 and 312 reported civilian deaths resulting from air, artillery […]
18 Oct, 2019
Update
Syria, Türkiye

Civilians severely at risk from Turkish invasion of Northern Syria

Airwars monitors locally reported civilian harm from all Turkish air and artillery strikes in Iraq and Syria, as well as from Kurdish counterfire actions. Our database can be found here. More than 120 civilian deaths have been locally alleged in eight days of fighting in northern Syria to October 16th, following a Turkish-led offensive, ‘Operation […]