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

23 May 2024

Incident Code

TS697

Location

قرية ام السطح, villages of Ousjali Saghir and Um Al-Satih, Manbij countryside, Aleppo, Syria
Around dawn on Thursday, May 23, 2024, an alleged Turkish artillery attack on the Ousjali Saghir, Umm al-Satih, and other villages in the western countryside of the Manbji province, Syria, killed a woman and injured five citizens, including three children. Hawar News reported that 55-year-old Fateem Al-Dandan from the village of Umm Al-Satih in the western…

Summary

Published
23 May 2024
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
5
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

18 May 2024

Incident Code

TS695

Location

سد الشهباء, Al-Shahba Dam vicinity in the north of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
An artillery or drone strike reportedly perpetrated by the Turkish military on the morning of Saturday, May 18th, 2024, resulted in the death of a child and the injury of three other children on an agricultural land in the Al-Shahba Dam vicinity located in the northern countryside of Aleppo Governorate, Syria. The victim, Fares Khalaf Ibrahim, a…

Summary

Published
18 May 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike), Airstrike and/or Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture
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

18 May 2024

Incident Code

TS696

Location

village Al-Tokhar, northeastern countryside of Manbij, east of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
On the morning of Saturday, May 18, 2024, an alleged artillery strike carried out by Turkish forces and allied factions on the civilian homes located in the Syrian village of Al-Tokhar in the northeastern countryside of Manbij, northeast of Aleppo, injured three civilians, including a child. According to local sources referencing the Manbij Military Council,…

Summary

Published
18 May 2024
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported injured
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

14 May 2024

Incident Code

TS694

Location

قرية أم جلود, village Umm Jaloud in the Manbij countryside, east of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
On Tuesday, May 14th, 2024, one civilian was reportedly injured as a result of an alleged Turkish artillery shelling in the Manbij countryside, to the east of Aleppo, Syria. The village of Umm Jaloud and the surrounding area were struck by mortar shells allegedly coming from the Turkish military base in the village of Al-Yashli.…

Summary

Published
14 May 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

2 May 2024

Incident Code

TS693

Location

قرية الصيادة, al-Sayadah village, countryside of the city of Manbij, Aleppo, Syria
On Thursday evening of May 2, 2024, a civilian man named Ahmad al-Ali was injured as a result of an artillery strike allegedly carried out by the Turkish military in the al-Sayadah village in the northwestern countryside of the city of Manbij which is located in the Aleppo governorate, in northern Syria. 20-year-old Ahmad al-Ali…

Summary

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

Incident Date

28 April 2024

Incident Code

TS692

Location

قرية بينة, village of Beina in the countryside of Sherawa, district of Afrin, Aleppo, Syria
On Sunday, April 28, 2024, two male civilians, Ibrahim Berro and Arif Saeed Sheikh, were injured by alleged Turkish artillery shelling on the residential neighborhoods in the village of Beina, Sherawa district, in the northern countryside of Aleppo, Syria. According to Hawar News reporters, the two men were working in agricultural lands when the incident occurred and…

Summary

Published
28 April 2024
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident