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

4 March 2018

Incident Code

TS245

Location

كفر شفرة, Kafr Safra villages, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria
Local media reported that there had been an unspecified number of "martyrs and wounded civilians" in an alleged Turkish bombing of Kafr Safra villages, Afrin. Almanar reported: "A number of civilians were also killed and others were injured following the shelling of the village of Kafrfsafra in the north-west of Jandairis town".    

Summary

Published
4 March 2018
Civilians reported killed
0–2
Civilians reported injured
0–2
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident →

Incident Date

3 March 2018

Incident Code

TS243

Location

دررويش, Darwish village, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria
Rumaf reported “an AFP photographer and German ZDF correspondent were targeted with two Turkish artillery shells in the village of Darwish in Sharan district in Afrin”. No further details are currently available.

Summary

Published
3 March 2018
Civilians reported killed
0–2
Civilians reported injured
0–2
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident →

Incident Date

3 March 2018

Incident Code

TS240

Location

ميركان, Mirkan, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria
A number of civilians were wounded in an alleged Turkish shelling of Mirkan, Syria, according to sources on the ground. Hawar News reported: “The Turkish occupation army shelled the center of the area of Mabata and the village of Mircan. It used heavy artillery and missiles, and according to preliminary information, there are wounded civilians.”…

Summary

Published
3 March 2018
Civilians reported injured
2–10
Military Actor
Turkish Military
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Incident Date

3 March 2018

Incident Code

TS241

Location

ميشالا, Meshale, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
Multiple local sources reported that five civilians were killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Meshale, Syria. According to ANF, “on the axis of the village of Meshaala, the Turkish invasion aircraft launched raids on the village during the afternoon. The bombing continues as this report is being prepared. The initial death toll is five…

Summary

Published
3 March 2018
Civilians reported killed
5
Civilians reported injured
2
Military Actor
Turkish Military
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Incident Date

3 March 2018

Incident Code

TS242

Location

موباتة, Mobata, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria
Up to six civilians were wounded in an alleged Turkish shelling of Mobata, Syria, according to local media. ROK reported: “A number of civilians were wounded on Saturday morning by Turkish artillery shelling on the centre of Maabatli in Afrin, northwest of Syria, amid heavy fighting on the outskirts of Raju town west of the…

Summary

Published
3 March 2018
Civilians reported injured
4–6
Military Actor
Turkish Military
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Incident Date

2 March 2018

Incident Code

TS237

Location

مابيتة, Kahre, Mabeta, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria
One to two civilians died and five more were wounded in an alleged Turkish shelling of Kahre, according to local media. Reports said that shelling occurred at 2.00 am, with a shell landing in the main square. According to Rok news, “the village of Khera, in the area of ​​Maabtli, came under artillery fire after…

Summary

Published
2 March 2018
Civilians reported killed
1–2
Civilians reported injured
5
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 […]