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

14 June 2023

Incident Code

TS602

Location

الدندنية, Al Dandaniyah, Aleppo, Syria
On 14 June 2023, two children were injured by an alleged Turkish artillery strike, followed by a drone strike, on a farm in Al-Dandaniyah village in Manbij, the western countryside east of Aleppo. One of the children who survived the strike, Muhammad Saeed, noted that the attack ‘directly bombed their whereabouts’ according to Hawar News.…

Summary

Published
14 June 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike), Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Civilians reported injured
2
Military actors reported killed
4
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

14 June 2023

Incident Code

TS601

Location

عرب حسن, Arab Hasan, Aleppo, Syria
A civilian was killed by alleged Turkish drone strikes on Arab Hasan village on June 14, 2023. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that a person was killed by a Turkish drone strike on a house in Arab Hasan village. Both @RojAvaTv1 and @NES_RIC_Arabic refer to the person killed as being a civilian. Orient…

Summary

Published
14 June 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

Incident Date

12 June 2023

Incident Code

TS600

Location

A road linking the villages of Herbel with Um Hawsh, Aleppo, Syria
One Russian soldier was killed and between three and four other Russian soldiers were injured in an attack on an armoured military personnel carrier allegedly carried out by Turkish forces. The vehicle was moving along a road that connects Herbel and Um Hawsh. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the injured Russians were…

Summary

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

Incident Date

12 June 2023

Incident Code

TS599

Location

كوباني, Kobani, Aleppo, Syria
At least 3 civilians were injured in an alleged Turkish drone strike killed two Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters by a petrol station near the southern entrance of Kobani at 11:55am on June 12, 2023. The North Press quoted a medical source at the al-Amal Hospital in Kobani city who reported that 22 year old…

Summary

Published
12 June 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported injured
3–5
Military actors reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

3 June 2023

Incident Code

TS598

Location

الاصيلم, Al Asilem, Raqqa, Syria
Two civilians, including a woman, were injured by an alleged Turkish drone attack on farmland in Al Asilem village, near the M4 road and north of Raqqa on June 3, 2023. Hawar News reported that a 35 year old woman named Houriya Ayed Al-Daher and her 45 year old husband named Hussein Hammoud Al-Muhammad were…

Summary

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

Incident Date

28 May 2023

Incident Code

TS597

Location

عفرين ، رأس العين ، اعزاز ، تل أبيض ، الباب ، جرابلس, Afrin, Ras Al Ain, Azaz, Tell Abyad, Al Bab, Jarablus, Aleppo, Syria
A child was killed and between 20 to 25 civilians, including two women and four children, were injured by alleged Turkish-back faction heavy gunfire around Afrin on May 28, 2023. Hawar News initially reported that a child was killed and "a number of people, including women" were injured by gunfire from Turkish militia members while…

Summary

Published
28 May 2023
Strike Type
Ground operation
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
20–25
Causes of Death / Injury
Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident