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

10 September 2024

Incident Code

TI113

Location

مخيم مخمور, Makhmur camp between Mosul and south of Erbil, Erbil, Iraq
On Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at 5:05 PM, up to three women were injured, one of them critically, in an airstrike or drone attack allegedly perpetrated by the Turkish military on a residential house in the Makhmour (also called Rustam Judi) IDP camp located 60 Km southwest of Erbil in the Erbil region of Iraq.…

Summary

Published
10 September 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Residential, IDP or Refugee Camp
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2–3
Military actors reported killed
0–1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

9 September 2024

Incident Code

TS713

Location

قرية ديرجمال, Deir Jamal Village, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria
On Monday, September 9th, 2024, one civilian was killed and four civilians, including two children, were reportedly injured following an alleged Turkish artillery strike on the countryside north of Aleppo, Syria. The village of Deir Jamal was hit by shelling in the afternoon and, in addition to the civilian casualties, suffered some material damage to…

Summary

Published
11 September 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
4
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

9 September 2024

Incident Code

TS714

Location

قرية تنب, the village of Tanb in the Sharan district, Aleppo, Syria
In the afternoon of Monday, 9th September 2024, artillery shelling allegedly perpetrated by the Turkish military struck a civilian house in the village of Tanb in the Sharan district, northern countryside of Aleppo, Syria, injuring two children and an older woman. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an adult civilian was also killed,…

Summary

Published
9 September 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike), Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential (House)
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

9 September 2024

Incident Code

TS715

Location

تل رفعت, Tal Rifaat in the northern countryside of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
On Monday, September 9, 2024, a series of artillery and drone strikes allegedly carried out by Turkish forces and allied factions (al-Amshat militia) injured three civilians working in agricultural fields in the northern countryside of Aleppo, Syria, including the city of Tal Rifaat. The strikes involved artillery shelling and suicide drones, reportedly focusing on civilian…

Summary

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

Incident Date

7 September 2024

Incident Code

TS712

Location

شيراوا, Shirawa in the Afrin and Shahba cantons, Aleppo, Syria
During the afternoon of Saturday, 7th September 2024, a man was severely wounded - and later died of his injuries - by an artillery shelling allegedly perpetrated by the Turkish army on the village of Shirawa in Afrin and Shahba cantons, Aleppo, Syria. Khaled Mohammed Mohammed was killed as a result of the shelling. ANF…

Summary

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

Incident Date

5 September 2024

Incident Code

TS710

Location

قرية الجراد, Al-Jarad Village north of Manbij in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
During the early morning of Thursday, 5th September 2024, a drone strike injured a 40-year-old man in the village of Al-Jarad, north of Manbij in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, Syria. While several sources alleged the strike was perpetrated by the Turkish military, one source reported that the local “Military Council” shot down a Turkish…

Summary

Published
5 September 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military, YPG
View Incident