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

17 December 2023

Incident Code

TS667

Location

نبل و الزهراء, residential neighborhoods of Nubl and Al-Zahraa, Aleppo, Syria
On the evening of Sunday, December 17th, 2023, the residential neighborhoods of the towns of Nubl and Al-Zahraa in the northern countryside of Aleppo, Syria, were struck by the artillery bombardment perpetrated by the Turkish affiliated militia Al-Fatah Al-Mubin, as a result of which between two to eight civilians were reportedly injured. According to SOHR,…

Summary

Published
17 December 2023
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported injured
2–8
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

9 December 2023

Incident Code

TS666

Location

الزهراء, نبل‎, the towns of Nubl and Al-Zahraa, the Western countryside of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
On the evening of Saturday, December 9, 2023, four identified civilians, including two women and an infant, were killed and up to 26 civilians, including four women and eleven children, were injured in a bombardment of the towns of Nubl and Al-Zahraa in the western countryside of Aleppo allegedly perpetrated by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (formerly…

Summary

Published
9 December 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Civilians reported killed
4
Civilians reported injured
19–26
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

5 December 2023

Incident Code

TI100

Location

بامرني, Bamerni, Amedi District, Duhok, Iraq
At around 7AM on Tuesday, December 5th, 2023, a man was killed and up to three others injured after an alleged Turkish bombardment in the Bamerni subdistrict of Amedi, in Dohuk Governorate. Gulan Media named the deceased as 44-year-old Ali Jamil Kalash, the father of four children. Kalash was near his home when he died:…

Summary

Published
5 December 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Water
Civilians reported killed
0–1
Civilians reported injured
1–3
Military actors reported killed
0–1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

5 December 2023

Incident Code

TS665

Location

حربل, village of Harbel in the Al-Shahba area, northern countryside of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
On Tuesday, December 5, 2023, a Kurdish civilian man was seriously wounded while driving his car by an alleged drone strike by the Turkish military on the village of Harbel in the Al-Shahba area, in the northern countryside of Aleppo, Syria. According to the local sources, the attack was perpetrated with a “suicide drone”. According…

Summary

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

Incident Date

3 December 2023

Incident Code

TS664

Location

قرية بيني, village of Binah, Sherawa District, Aleppo, Syria
On Wednesday, December 3rd, 2023, an elderly man was seriously injured due to a drone attack allegedly perpetrated by the Turkish military, in the village of Binahi in the Sherawa district, north of Aleppo, Syria. Issa Kado is a 73-year-old Kurdish civilian with short gray hair, a beard, a dark complexion, and wearing glasses. Dressed…

Summary

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

Incident Date

26 November 2023

Incident Code

TS663

Location

الدرباسية, residential neighborhoods in the city of Al-Darbasiyah, Al-Hasakah, Al-Hasakah, Syria
At least four civilians were wounded, including a child, in Al-Hasakah near the Turkish border on Sunday evening, November 27th, 2023. Nisreen Muhammad Aziz (nine years old), Lauren Ramadan Kalo (29 years old), Muhammad Louay Tawfiq (18 years old), and Hussein Mustafa (30 years old) were injured by a spray of bullets aimed at the Al-Darbasiyah district, north of…

Summary

Published
26 November 2023
Strike Type
Ground operation
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported injured
4
Causes of Death / Injury
Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident