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 DatePublication Date

Incident Date

24 November 2024

Incident Code

TS739

Location

تل رفعت, Tal Rifaat, Aleppo, Syria
At least ten identified civilians, including five children and a woman, were reportedly injured in their homes by alleged Turkish artillery shelling in the city of Tal Rifaat in the Afrin and al-Shahba cantons in the Aleppo Governorate, Syria, on the evening of November 24, 2024. According to the sources, the Turkish forces used heavy…

Summary

Published
11 September 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential (House)
Civilians reported injured
10–11
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

22 November 2024

Incident Code

TS737

Location

قرية هواليك كوبرلك, village of Hawalik Koberlik, the countryside of Tal Abyad, north of Raqqa, Raqqa, Syria
On Saturday, 23 November 2024, a child was killed by an alleged Turkish artillery shelling on the village of Hawalik Koberlik located in the countryside of Tal Abyad, north of Raqqa, Syria. Sources have identified the Turkish military as responsible for the attack. Information about the attack was reported in an article by the Syrian…

Summary

Published
11 September 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

19 November 2024

Incident Code

TS735

Location

قرية آقيبة, the village of Aqiba in Shirawa, in the Afrin and Shahba canton, Aleppo, Syria
Haitham Abdul Rahman Issa, a 42-year-old civilian man, was killed, and a number of civilians were injured in an alleged Turkish artillery shelling on the afternoon of  November 19, 2024, in Aqiba village in the Shirawa district of the city of Afrin in the countryside of Aleppo, Syria. The attack was widely attributed to Turkish…

Summary

Published
19 November 2024
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

19 November 2024

Incident Code

TS736

Location

قرية حربل, the village of Harbal in the Afrin and Shahba, Aleppo, Syria
A number of civilians, including an adult man named Mustafa Abdullah Hassan, were injured on the evening of November 19, 2024, following an artillery shelling on the village of Harbal in Shirawa canton of Syria. The attack had been attributed to Turkish forces and their allied mercenaries, according to ANF News. According to ANF News,…

Summary

Published
19 November 2024
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported injured
1–2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

29 October 2024

Incident Code

TS734

Location

كفر جنة, Kafr Janna, Aleppo, Syria
During the afternoon of Tuesday, October 29th, 2024, a civilian was killed as a result of being run over by a military vehicle allegedly belonging to members of the Turkish military. The incident took place as the man was returning to his home in the village of Kafr Janna, in the Aleppo Governorate of Syria.…

Summary

Published
29 October 2024
Strike Type
Ground operation
Civilians reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Run over by vehicle
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

26 October 2024

Incident Code

TS731

Location

الأغيبش, Al-Aghibish, Al-Hasakah, Syria
On Saturday, October 26, 2024, a woman, identified as Shamsa Nawaf al-Qannas, aged 30, was injured as a result of an alleged Turkish artillery strike hitting the Agricultural Bank in the village of Al-Aghibish, located in the western countryside of Tal Tamr, northern Syria. She sustained shrapnel wounds to her lower right limb and was…

Summary

Published
3 September 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Financial (Bank)
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident