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

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

23 August 2024

Incident Code

TI111

Location

قرية تبه رَش, the village of Tabeh Rash, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
At 11 AM on Friday, August 23, 2024, two female journalists, Hero Baha al-Din and Golestan Tara, were killed and six civilians, including a social media professional and video editor named Rebin Bakr, were injured as a result of an alleged Turkish drone strike on a car carrying a group of media cadres for Sterk TV…

Summary

Published
27 December 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Vehicle
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
6
Military actors reported killed
0–3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

22 December 2024

Incident Code

TS759

Location

نطقة عين العرب, Ayn al-Arab District, Aleppo, Syria
On the evening of Sunday, December 22, 2024, a woman, Sawsan Khalaf (35), and her teenage daughter, Naseem Khalaf (12), were killed in an alleged Turkish artillery strike on their house located in the village of Jaada in the southern countryside of Kobani in northern Syria. Hawar News Agency reported: “The village of Jaada in…

Summary

Published
22 December 2024
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential (House)
Civilians reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

31 May 2024

Incident Code

TS698

Location

Tamim al-Hanwa and Salamasa villages in Tal Hamis countryside,  village of Haram Sheikho near  in the countryside of the city of Qamishlo in the Al-Jazeera District of Hasaka, Al Hasakah, Syria
Fourteen identified civilians, including two women and six children, were injured as a result of the multiple air and/or drone strikes, including a double-tap strike, allegedly perpetrated by the Turkish military on the evening of Friday, May 31st, 2024, in the villages of Tamim al-Hanwa and Salamasa in the Tel Hamis countryside of Qamishlo in…

Summary

Published
12 December 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Healthcare
Civilians reported injured
14
Military actors reported killed
3–4
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

11 December 2024

Incident Code

TS755

Location

تل جمعة, Tal Juma, Al-Hasakah, Syria
One civilian was reportedly injured in alleged Turkish artillery shelling on the village of Tal Juma, in the countryside of Tal Tamr, in the Al-Hasakah Governorate, Syria, on the morning of Wednesday, 11 December 2024. The age, name or any other biographical information relating to the civilian was not given, although a number of Kurdish…

Summary

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

Incident Date

10 December 2024

Incident Code

TS752

Location

ناحية عين عيسى, Ain Issa Subdistrict, Raqqa, Syria
On the morning of Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at least eight people from the Suleiman family, including two women and two children, were killed by an alleged Turkish airstrike or drone strike on their family house in the Safiya village, in the western countryside of Ain Issa in the north of Raqqa, Syria. The Hawar…

Summary

Published
10 December 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported killed
8
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident