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

1,011 – 1,495

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 981 separate alleged incidents.

215 – 242
children likely killed
150 – 170
women likely killed
2,439
likely injured
2,231
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
1,754 – 2,486
Locally reported civilian deaths from Turkish Military actions in Iraq and Syria.
981 seperate alleged incidents
Confirmed or Fair
1,011 – 1,495
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by Turkish Military
732 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

29 December 2024

Incident Code

TS760

Location

ناحية الجرنية, Al-Jarniyah Subdistrict, Raqqa, Syria
On 29 December 2024, a civilian car travelling on the road between al-Tuwaihina and al-Mahmoudli in the countryside of Tabqa canton, northeastern Syria, was reportedly hit by an alleged Turkish military drone. The attack, confirmed by local security sources and reported by multiple outlets, resulted in the injury of two unidentified civilians. The location of…

Summary

Published
7 November 2025
Strike Type
Infrastructure
Vehicle (Car)
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

21 December 2024

Incident Code

TS758

Location

تل براك, Vicinity of Tal Brak, Al-Hasakah, Syria
On the afternoon of Saturday, 21st December 2024, a Turkish military drone allegedly hit a civilian Hyundai car along with one more civilian car travelling on the Al-Hawl–Tal Brak road near the Shuhada Gas Station checkpoint, south of the town of Tal Brak in Al-Hasakah governorate, Syria. The attack reportedly killed at least three civilians…

Summary

Published
7 November 2025
Strike Type
Infrastructure
Vehicle (Car)
Civilians reported killed
3–5
Civilians reported injured
3–5
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

19 December 2024

Incident Code

TS757

Location

بالقرب من جسر كارا قوزاق, Vicinity of Qara Qozak Bridge, Aleppo, Syria
At 3:20 p.m. on Thursday, December 19th, 2024, two journalists, including a 28-year-old female journalist, were killed, and a driver was injured as a result of a drone strike on a civilian car on the road between Tishreen Dam and the town of Sareen near Qarqozak Bridge south of Kobani in the Aleppo governorate of…

Summary

Published
7 November 2025
Strike Type
Infrastructure
Vehicle (Car)
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

12 December 2024

Incident Code

TS756

Location

بالقرب من جسر كارا قوزاق, Vicinity of Qara Qozak Bridge, Aleppo, Syria
On Wednesday, 12 December 2024, a civilian car carrying 11 people came under gunfire as it crossed the Qara Qozak Bridge located southwest of Kobani in the Manbij district in the northern countryside of Aleppo, Syria. The attack resulted in the death of a woman, Zahida Ahmed Buzan (Kosi). Her eight-year-old grandson, Joan Barkal, her brother-in-law,…

Summary

Published
7 November 2025
Strike Type
Ground operation
Infrastructure
Vehicle (Car)
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
3–5
Causes of Death / Injury
Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

10 December 2024

Incident Code

TS754

Location

ناحية صرين, Sarrin Subdistrict, Aleppo, Syria
Two civilians, including at least one paramedic, were reportedly killed and two others injured on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, when Turkish forces allegedly bombed an ambulance transporting injured people en route to the Kobani hospital on the Sarrin-Tishreen Dam road in the countryside of Aleppo, Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) initially reported…

Summary

Published
7 November 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike), Artillery
Infrastructure
Healthcare (Ambulance)
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

10 December 2024

Incident Code

TS753

Location

نطقة عين العرب, Ayn al-Arab District, Aleppo, Syria
During the early evening of Tuesday, 10 December 2024, the village of Ja'dah al-Kabira, southwest of Kobani (Ain al-Arab) in northern Syria, was allegedly bombed by the Turkish military. The attack resulted in the deaths of two or three civilians, including a child, and injuries to six civilians, including at least two children, all from…

Summary

Published
7 November 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported killed
2–3
Civilians reported injured
6
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident