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

25 December 2023

Incident Code

TS669

Location

كُوبَانِي, Kobani, Aleppo, Syria
On the morning of Monday, December 25, 2023, two civilians working for a construction company were injured following alleged Turkish strikes on the city of Kobani (Ain Al-Arab) in northern Syria. According to ANF news, the strikes not only wounded two civilians, but also caused material damage to the citizens’ property. The Facebook users Kobani…

Summary

Published
25 December 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

25 December 2023

Incident Code

TS670

Location

مطبعة سيماف في القامشلي, Simav (Simaf) printing press on the Western Belt Road, city of Qamishli (Qamishlo), Al Hassakah, Syria
At 10:30 AM on Monday, December 25th, 2023, six employees, among them a young woman, of the Simav (Simaf) printing press located on the Western Belt Road in the city of Qamishli in the Al-Hassakah Governorate, Syria, were killed, and many civilians were injured in an airstrike allegedly perpetrated by the Turkish military. One of…

Summary

Published
25 December 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
7
Civilians reported injured
12–24
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

25 December 2023

Incident Code

TS671

Location

صوامع الحبوب, east of Qamishlo, northern Syria, Al Hassakah, Syria
On Monday, December 25, 2023, a civilian was reportedly killed by an alleged Turkish airstrike in the grain silos area to the east of the town of Qamishlo in northern Syria. According to Watan News, the victim was “in the vicinity of a mill in the grain silos” when the strike occurred. The identity of…

Summary

Published
25 December 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Civilians reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

25 December 2023

Incident Code

TS672

Location

قرية ام الفرسان, Um Al-Fursan, Al Hassakah, Syria
On Monday, December 25th, 2023, a young woman named Aya Al-Sabaawi was killed by a bombing reportedly perpetrated by the Turkish military, while her younger cousin Thuraya Al-Sabaawi was injured in the same attack which hit a mill and a cotton warehouse in the village of Umm Al-Fursan, east of the city of Qamishlo, Syria, according to…

Summary

Published
25 December 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

24 December 2023

Incident Code

TS668

Location

ٱلْقَحْطَانِيَّة, “Awda” oil station, in the countryside of the town of Al-Qahtaniyah/Tirbespiyeh, Al Hassakah, Syria
Around 10:15 PM on Saturday, December 23rd, 2023, an alleged Turkish airstrike hit the Awda (Odeh) oil station in the countryside of the town of Al-Qahtaniyah (Tirbespiyeh), Syria, injuring a citizen named Hussein Hamza Saadoun and reportedly a number of other oil station employees. Multiple reports came out to indicate that the oil wells were…

Summary

Published
24 December 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Civilians reported injured
1–3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

24 December 2023

Incident Code

TS673

Location

القامشلي, Al-Qāmishlī, Al-Hassakah, Syria
On Sunday, December 24th, 2023, an alleged airstrike on the city of Al-Qāmishlī in Al-Hassakah Governorate in northeastern Syria reportedly perpetrated by the Turkish military killed a renowned 39-year-old Kurdish cinematographer, Mansour Karimian. Some sources provided a different date and place of his death. According to the New York Kurdish Cultural Center, Mansour was killed…

Summary

Published
24 December 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident