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

21 January 2025

Incident Code

TS775

Location

سد تشرين، منبج, Tishreen Dam, Manbij, Aleppo, Syria
On the afternoon of Tuesday, January 21, 2025, two civilians, including a woman, were killed, and between 20 and 70 were injured, including four journalists and three female officials, when two alleged Turkish drone strikes hit a group of civilians gathered near Tishreen Damn in the Manbij countryside, east of Aleppo, Syria. The Democratic Autonomous…

Summary

Published
26 September 2025
Strike Type
Infrastructure
Resources (Dam), Vehicle (Car)
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
20–70
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

18 January 2025

Incident Code

TS774

Location

سد تشرين، منبج, Tishreen Dam, Manbij, Aleppo, Syria
Around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, 18th January 2025, Turkish drones allegedly struck a civilian gathering at the Tishreen Dam, south of Manbij in the Aleppo countryside of Syria, killing six identified civilians, including a well-known Kurdish actor and a playwright, and a woman, and injuring 20 others, including a child and an elderly man. Hawar…

Summary

Published
26 September 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Resources (Dam)
Civilians reported killed
6
Civilians reported injured
20
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

15 January 2025

Incident Code

TS771

Location

سد تشرين، منبج, Tishreen Dam, Manbij, Aleppo, Syria
On Wednesday, 15 January 2025, a civilian convoy and a gathering of civilians were subjected to a series of alleged Turkish airstrikes and/or shelling in the vicinity of Tishreen Dam located near Manbij in the Aleppo countryside of Syria. In the attacks, seven civilians, including two women and ambulance crew members, were killed, and 22…

Summary

Published
26 September 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Infrastructure
Healthcare (Ambulance), Resources (Dam), Vehicle (Car)
Civilians reported killed
7
Civilians reported injured
22–23
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

11 January 2025

Incident Code

TS769

Location

مسراب, Masrab, Aleppo, Syria
At  6 p.m. on Saturday, January 11, 2025, a father was killed alongside his two daughters, and their mother and the other five children of the family were injured in an alleged Turkish airstrike on their house in the village of Masrab, affiliated with the city of Sarrin in the countryside of Ain al-Arab (Kobani),…

Summary

Published
26 September 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported killed
3
Civilians reported injured
6
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

8 January 2025

Incident Code

TS762

Location

بالقرب من سد تشرين، منبج, Vicinity of Tishreen Dam, Manbij, Aleppo, Syria
During the morning of Wednesday, January 8, 2025, up to five civilians, including two women, were killed, and 15 civilians, including two journalists, were injured following an alleged Turkish airstrike and/or drone strike on a civilian convoy heading to the Tishreen Dam located in the vicinity of Manbij, east of Aleppo, Syria. According to Hawar…

Summary

Published
26 September 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Healthcare (Ambulance), Vehicle (Car)
Civilians reported killed
3–5
Civilians reported injured
15
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

26 January 2025

Incident Code

TS779

Location

ناحية عين عيسى, Ain Issa subdistrict, Raqqa, Syria
At least two children were killed and a young woman and young man were injured by alleged Turkish shelling of the village of al-Jammas in the countryside of Ain Issa in Syria on January 26, 2025. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) initially reported that a 12-year-old girl had been killed and a child…

Summary

Published
25 September 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
2–5
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident