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

17 February 2018

Incident Code

TS209

Location

قرية قوتا, ريف عفرين, Quta villages, Bulbul district, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria
According to multiple local sources: two civilians were wounded following an alleged Turkish shelling on Quta villages. Claudia, a Kurdish activist reported on Twitter, one civilian was wounded in an alleged Turkish shelling of Quta villages. Furthermore, Afrin Now and Hawar news named an additional civilian who got fragments and breaking in his thigh, which is later named by the…

Summary

Published
17 February 2018
Civilians reported injured
1–2
Military Actor
Turkish Military
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Incident Date

17 February 2018

Incident Code

TS211

Location

راجو, عفرين, Rajo, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria
In a private report to Airwars, the Kurdish Red Crescent reported the injury of one civilian in an alleged Turkish shelling of Rajo. There are no other details at this time.

Summary

Published
17 February 2018
Civilians reported injured
1
Military Actor
Turkish Military
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Incident Date

16 February 2018

Incident Code

TS202

Location

ارندة, عفرين, Aranda, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria
Local media reported that six civilians were injured following an alleged Turkish attack with missiles/artillery shells containing “toxic gas”. According to Nuce 24, the Turkish military occupation army targeted the village of Aranda, in the area of Shih, with an artillery shell poisoned by chemical gas (it is not yet known what the gas was).…

Summary

Published
16 February 2018
Civilians reported injured
6
Military Actor
Turkish Military
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Incident Date

16 February 2018

Incident Code

TS203

Location

مستكو, عفرين, Mastako, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria
A civilian 64-year-old was wounded followed an alleged Turkish shelling of Mastako, Afrin, according to Rumaf. The source said that the victim had many shrapnel wounds in his thighs, hands and head. The Kurdish Red Crescent also listed the victim as wounded, though it said this occurred in Shya’ and it is not known whether…

Summary

Published
16 February 2018
Civilians reported injured
1
Military Actor
Turkish Military
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Incident Date

16 February 2018

Incident Code

TS204

Location

جنديرس, Jindires, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria
According to a local report, a civilian at the age of 13 years old was injured following an alleged Turkish shelling of Jindires, Afrin. Rumaf identified the victim by name. Alghad TV reveals a report that shows the destruction of civilians houses in Jindires, Afrin followed alleged airstrikes and shelling. There are no other details at this time.

Summary

Published
16 February 2018
Civilians reported injured
1–2
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident →

Incident Date

16 February 2018

Incident Code

TS205

Location

شيه,عفرين, Sheya, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria
According to two local reports, two civilians were killed and one injured following an alleged Turkish shelling on Sheya, Afrin. Additionally, The Kurdish Red Crescent named the two civilians women. Rumaf reported that 48, was wounded in the knee in an alleged Turkish shelling on Sheya, Afrin. There are no other details at this time.

Summary

Published
16 February 2018
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
1
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 […]