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

20 October 2024

Incident Code

TS720

Location

الفاطسة, Al-Fatisah, Raqqa, Syria
On Sunday, 20 October 2024, an artillery shelling allegedly by the Turkish military resulted in the death of three children – Muslat Zaki al-Ghadib, Rasool Munadi al-Ghadib, and Faisal Ghazi al-Ghadib - while they were herding sheep. The incident took place in the al-Fatisah village in the eastern countryside of Ain Issa city in the Raqqa governorate…

Summary

Published
3 September 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture (Agricultural Land)
Civilians reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

17 October 2024

Incident Code

TS719

Location

كفر جنة, Kafr Janna, Aleppo, Syria
On Thursday, October 17, 2024, a man and a woman were killed and 27 civilians, including three children, were injured as a result of gunfire from alleged violent clashes between the factions of the jihadist group “Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham" (Levant Front) and the “Joint Force” consisting of “Al-Amshat” and “Al-Hamzat” fractions that comprise the Turkish-affiliated…

Summary

Published
3 September 2025
Strike Type
Ground operation
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
27
Military actors reported killed
6
Causes of Death / Injury
Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

5 October 2024

Incident Code

TS718

Location

الجراد, Al-Jarad, Aleppo, Syria
On Saturday, October 5, 2024, two civilians from the same family, Hussein al-Kasoum (22) and Jassim al-Kasoum (40), were injured in a missile attack allegedly carried out by the Turkish military and its allied forces. The attack hit the village of al-Jarad, located north of Manbij in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, Syria, while the victims…

Summary

Published
3 September 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture (Agricultural Land)
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

3 October 2024

Incident Code

TS717

Location

عامودا, Vicinity of Ghazalik, Al-Jazeera, Syria
On Thursday, October 3, 2024, at approximately 6:00 PM, a man was killed after an alleged Turkish drone targeted a vehicle traveling on the Qamishli-Amuda road near the village of Ghazalik, in the northeastern Syrian Al-Jazeera region. According to multiple sources, the strike involved two missiles: the first caused the vehicle to deviate off the…

Summary

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

Incident Date

24 October 2024

Incident Code

TS726

Location

روفي, Rofi, Aleppo, Syria
On the evening of Thursday, 24th October 2024, at least seven identified male civilians and up to eight civilians were seriously injured and a civilian man was killed by a bombardment allegedly perpetrated by the Turkish military on the grain silos of the village of Rofi affiliated with the city of Kobani, part of the…

Summary

Published
3 September 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike), Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture (Silo)
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
7–8
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

23 October 2024

Incident Code

TS721

Location

تل رفعت, Tal Rifaat, Aleppo, Syria
At approximately 21:45 on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, four civilians, including a child and her parents, were killed and at least two others and up to 10 civilians were injured in an attack allegedly carried out by the Turkish military in Tal Rifaat, Aleppo Governorate, Syria. According to local sources, the child and her parents…

Summary

Published
3 September 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported killed
4
Civilians reported injured
7–10
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident