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 DatePublication Date

Incident Date

25 January 2025

Incident Code

TS777

Location

سد تشرين، منبج, Tishreen Dam, Manbij, Aleppo, Syria
On the evening of Saturday, January 25, 2025, two civilians, including a young man, were reportedly killed and 21 identified civilians, including at least two women, were injured in an alleged Turkish drone attack which hit a gathering of civilians who were protesting against the ongoing Turkish attacks near the Tishreen Dam located in the…

Summary

Published
19 September 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
21
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

22 January 2025

Incident Code

TS776

Location

سد تشرين، منبج, Tishreen Dam, Manbij, Aleppo, Syria
On the evening of Wednesday, January 22, 2025, two civilians, including a man, were reportedly killed, and more than 22 civilians were injured with varying degrees of injuries, following an alleged Turkish airstrike and/or drone strike which hit a gathering of civilians near the Tishreen Dam located in the vicinity of Manbij, east of Aleppo,…

Summary

Published
19 September 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
23
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

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

17 January 2025

Incident Code

TS773

Location

زنوبة, Zenoba, Raqqa, Syria
On January 17, 2025, three children from the same family were reportedly injured in the alleged Turkish artillery shelling on the village of Zenoba, in the northern countryside of Ain Issa, Raqqa governorate of Syria. The shelling led to the injury of three children, identified as Mahmoud al-Muhammad al-Abd (3 years old), Bushra al-Jassim al-Abd (16 years…

Summary

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

Incident Date

16 January 2025

Incident Code

TS772

Location

سد تشرين، منبج, Tishreen Dam, Manbij, Aleppo, Syria
On Thursday, 16th January 2025, Turkish warplanes and drones allegedly bombed civilians and shift workers at the Tishreen Dam, south of Manbij in the Aleppo countryside of Syria, killing from one to five civilians, and injuring up to 40, including women, children, and four journalists. The initial reports said that one civilian was killed and…

Summary

Published
19 September 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Vehicle (Car)
Civilians reported killed
1–5
Civilians reported injured
10–40
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident