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 October 2023

Incident Code

TS651

Location

قرية الشيخ عيسى, Sheikh Esa,  the Al-Shahba area, Aleppo countryside, Aleppo, Syria
On Friday, October 20th, 2023, an alleged Turkish artillery shelling in the village of Sheikh Esa, located in the Al-Shahba area in the northern countryside of Aleppo, injured a young man. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the 22-year-old man, named as Ali Radwan Ahmed, was taken to hospital for treatment for injuries suffered…

Summary

Published
20 October 2023
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 October 2023

Incident Code

TI099

Location

قرية كاني كندي, Kani Kindi village, Koya District, Kurdistan, Iraq
On Tuesday, October 17th, 2023, one man was killed and up to three other civilians, women, were injured after an alleged Turkish drone strike on a car in the Kani Kindi village in the Koya district of Kurdistan, Iraq. The car was reported to have belonged to citizens of the Makhmour refugee camp; the driver…

Summary

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

Incident Date

17 October 2023

Incident Code

TS649

Location

قرية كالوته, Kalotah village, Shirawa district, Afrin countryside, Aleppo, Syria
During the night of Monday, October 16, 2023, a child, Muhammad Qushu Ali, was injured by alleged Turkish and Sham Legion military artillery shells in the village of Kalotah, in the Afrin countryside of northern Syria. Muhammad Qushu Ali’s age remains unclear: according to the Afrin post, the child was 3 years old. However, Efrin…

Summary

Published
16 October 2023
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

13 October 2023

Incident Code

TI098

Location

مخيم مخمور, Makhmur camp, Erbil Governorate , Kurdistan, Iraq
A woman was injured after an alleged Turkish drone strike hit a home in the Makhmur camp at approximately 9:25AM on October 13th, 2023. The woman, 50-year-old Aisha Muhammad Ahmed, was a resident of the camp, which houses between 10,000 to 12,000 displaced Kurds. Her injuries, many of which look to be on her face…

Summary

Published
13 October 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
IDP or Refugee Camp
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

9 October 2023

Incident Code

TS648

Location

قرية المستور, Al-Mastoor village, near Ain Essa district, Hasakah, Al Hassakah, Syria
In the afternoon of Monday, October 9th, 2023, an alleged Turkish artillery strike reportedly killed two children -  a girl named Nadia Mohsen Al-Ayyash (aged 8-10, according to different sources) and a boy named Ali Ahmed Al-Ayyash (aged 6-9) in the village of Al-Mastour located in the western outskirts of the city of Ain Issa,…

Summary

Published
9 October 2023
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

9 October 2023

Incident Code

TS647

Location

البشرية, the village of Al-Bashiriya, al-Hasakah, Al Hassakah, Syria
In the morning hours of Monday, October 9th, 2023, at least five civilians, including four women and a child, were injured by an alleged Turkish bombardment while working in cotton fields in the village of Al-Bashiriya located in the Al-Darbasiyah district of Al-Hasakah in northeastern Syria. According to the Hawar news agency and Aso news,…

Summary

Published
9 October 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Civilians reported injured
5–8
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident