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

5 September 2024

Incident Code

TS711

Location

تل رفعت, Tal Rifaat, northern countryside of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
In the evening of Thursday, 5th September 2024, five civilians who had been earlier displaced from Afrin, including at least three women and a girl, were injured in the residential areas of the city of Tal Rifaat in the northern countryside of Aleppo, Syria, as a result of heavy gunfire allegedly perpetrated by the Turkish…

Summary

Published
11 September 2025
Strike Type
Ground operation
Civilians reported injured
5–6
Causes of Death / Injury
Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

4 September 2024

Incident Code

TI112

Location

خليكان, Dokan-Khalkan road near Khalkan village in Dokan District,  Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Iraq, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
During the afternoon of Wednesday, September 4th, 2024, three members of one family, including a child, were killed as a result of an alleged Turkish drone strike on a civilian Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle on the Dokan-Khalkan road near the village of Khalkan in the Dokan district of the Sulaymaniyah Governorate of Iraq. Muzaffar Hussein…

Summary

Published
4 September 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Vehicle
Civilians reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

30 August 2024

Incident Code

TS709

Location

قرية تل اللبن, Tal Al-Laban village in the countryside of the city of Tal Tamr, Al Hassakah, Syria
On August 30, 2024 at 14:55, a man was injured due to a shelling attack allegedly perpetrated by the Turkish military in the village of Tal Al-Laban in the countryside of the city of Tal Tamr in the Al-Hassakah governorate of Syria. The victim, Hamid al-Jassem, a 30-year-old man with a black beard and curly…

Summary

Published
30 August 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

29 August 2024

Incident Code

TS708

Location

حي المساكن, Al-Masakin neighbourhood in the eastern part of the city of Amuda, the countryside of Al Hassakah, Al Hassakah, Syria
On Thursday, August 29th, 2024, one civilian was killed and two civilians, including a woman, were injured in an alleged drone attack by the Turkish military. The strike reportedly hit the Al-Makasin neighbourhood in the eastern part of Amuda city in the countryside of Al-Hasakah, Syria, inflicting damage to the electricity network and local grocery…

Summary

Published
29 August 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Resources (Power Station), Commerce (Grocery Store)
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

28 August 2024

Incident Code

TS707

Location

حي العنترية, Near the industrial garage in the vicinity of the Heart and Eye hospital in the Al_Anariyah neighborhood OR near the eastern post office, Qamishli city, Al Hassakah, Syria
During the afternoon of Wednesday 28th August 2024, a civilian car was reportedly hit by an alleged Turkish drone strike (or a Turkish convoy or explosion from a planted device) near the industrial garage in the vicinity of the Heart and Eye Hospital in the Al Anariyah neighborhood or near the eastern post office in…

Summary

Published
28 August 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike), Ground operation
Infrastructure
Vehicle (Car)
Civilians reported killed
2–3
Civilians reported injured
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Planted explosives and unexploded ordnance (UXO), Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

27 August 2024

Incident Code

TS706

Location

مدينة تل أبيض, the city of Tal Abyad in the countryside of Raqqa, Raqqa, Syria
On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, a 15-year-old boy named Ali al-Suhail was killed after he was run over by a Turkish armoured vehicle in the city of Tal Abyad, located in the countryside of Raqqa in Northeastern Syria. Ali had black hair as seen in a picture of him standing in front of a shuttered…

Summary

Published
27 August 2024
Strike Type
Ground operation
Civilians reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Run over by vehicle
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident