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

20 February 2024

Incident Code

TI102

Location

قرية كافيا, Kafya, in the Dinatra area of Akre [Akri/Aqra] district of Duhok, Iraq, Duhok, Iraq
Around 18:30 on the evening of Tuesday, February 20th, 2024, an alleged Turkish airstrike killed two elderly men and injured at least one other civilian in the village of Kafya, in the Dinatra area of Akre [Akri/Aqra] District of Duhok, northern Iraq. The two victims were 65-year-old Bashir Omar and 70-year-old Arif Taha, residents of…

Summary

Published
20 February 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
1–2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

12 February 2024

Incident Code

TS684

Location

قرية بينه, Binah village, Aleppo, Syria
During the evening of Monday, February 12th, 2024, one male Kurdish civilian was killed and another male Kurdish civilian was injured as a result of artillery shelling allegedly by Turkish forces in the Sherawa region of Afrin, Syria. The shelling took place on Monday evening and resulted in further material damage to the village of…

Summary

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

Incident Date

24 January 2024

Incident Code

TS683

Location

قرية قرموغ, Qarmogh (Qarmug) village east of Kobani, Aleppo, Syria
On Wednesday, January 24th, 2024, a child and a 24-year-old farmer named Marouf Khalil Muhammad were injured due to an alleged artillery attack by the Turkish military. Reportedly, the farmer was injured in his leg and/or foot while he was working on his land in the village of Qarmug (Qarmogh), east of the city of…

Summary

Published
24 January 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

Incident Date

17 January 2024

Incident Code

TS682

Location

قرية سد الشهباء, Vicinity of Al-Shahba Dam, Aleppo, Syria
On Wednesday, January 17th, 2024, a civilian was injured due to an artillery shelling reportedly perpetrated by Turkish forces in a village near the Al-Shahba Dam, near Tal Rifaat city, north of Aleppo, Syria. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the civilian was taken to the hospital to receive treatment. SOHR also reported…

Summary

Published
17 January 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

17 January 2024

Incident Code

TS681

Location

قرية شعالة, Sha’ale ( Shaala) village, Al-Shahba District, Aleppo, Syria
In the afternoon of Wednesday, January 17th, 2024, an alleged Turkish artillery strike on the Shaala (Sha’ale) village in Al-Shahba District in Aleppo's northern countryside, Syria, injured three civilians, among them a woman and a child. Multiple sources, including Afrin News, Fox Press, SOHR, and others, reported that the artillery bombardment attributed to the Turkish…

Summary

Published
17 January 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

15 January 2024

Incident Code

TS680

Location

محطة كهرباء الدرباسية, Dirbasiye Power Station (Al-Darbasiyah) in the Hassakah countryside, Al Hassakah, Syria
On the morning of Monday, January 15th, 2024, two civilian men were moderately injured as a result of an alleged drone strike launched by the Turkish military on the Dirbasiye Power Station (alternatively spelled as Al-Darbasiyah), in the Hassakah countryside, Syria, which also resulted in the outage of the two transformers of the station. SANA…

Summary

Published
15 January 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident