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

868 – 1,329

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 885 separate alleged incidents.

175 – 199
children likely killed
128 – 143
women likely killed
2,072
likely injured
1,864
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
1,598 – 2,302
Locally reported civilian deaths from Turkish Military actions in Iraq and Syria.
885 seperate alleged incidents
Confirmed or Fair
868 – 1,329
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by Turkish Military
646 seperate alleged incidents
Weak
116 – 134
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Weak.
159 seperate alleged incidents
Contested
313 – 538
Civilian deaths for which the reporting is assessed by Airwars as Contested.
78 seperate alleged incidents
Discounted
301
Civilian deaths were Discounted by Airwars after assessment.
2 seperate alleged incidents

Civilian Casualty Incidents — Turkish Military in Iraq & Syria

Start Date

End Date

Strike Type

Causes of Death / Injury

Strike Status

Civilian Harm Status

Belligerent Assessment

Casualty

Infrastructure

Search

883 incidents
Order results by:
Incident DatePublication Date

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

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
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

19 August 2024

Incident Code

TS705

Location

قرية بينه, village of Bineh in the countryside of the town of Shirawa in the Afrin and Shahba cantons, Aleppo, Syria
At noon on Monday, August 19, 2024, four civilian men, identified as Abdo (Abu) Zakour, Haider Muhammad (40-54 years old), Youssef Al-Araj (27 years old), and Mustafa Rifaat Sheikho (28 years old) were injured in a double tap drone strike in the village of Bineh in Shirawa, in the Afrin and Shahba cantons in the northern countryside…

Summary

Published
19 August 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported injured
4
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

1 August 2024

Incident Code

TS704

Location

قرية الشركة, village of Al-Sharika, adjacent to the international road (M4), east of Ain Issa in Raqqa, Raqqa, Syria
On August 1st, 2024, two young civilian men were allegedly injured by Turkish snipers near the village of Al-Sharika adjacent to the international road M4 in the eastern countryside of Ain Issa, Raqqa region, Syria. A photo released by the ANF news outlet showed the victims lying on stretchers receiving treatment. Mohsen Haritim Al-Jawwa, a…

Summary

Published
1 August 2024
Strike Type
Ground operation
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident