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
970 incidents
Order results by:
Incident DatePublication Date

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

12 January 2025

Incident Code

TS770

Location

منطقة الحسكة, Hasakah District, Hasakah Governorate, Syria
One civilian was reportedly killed and two others injured on Sunday, January 12, 2025, when Turkish forces allegedly bombed Jabal Abdul Aziz, north-west of Hasakah, Syria, as reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) and Rojnews Agency. The injured were reportedly taken to hospitals in Hasakah. Additionally, multiple sources reported the strike being…

Summary

Published
25 September 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

11 January 2025

Incident Code

TS768

Location

بير حسو, Bir Hassou, Aleppo, Syria
Two children were injured by alleged Turkish or Turkish-affiliated faction shelling of the village of Bir Hasso on January 11, 2025. The Violations Documentation Centre (VDC) reported that two brothers, Jassim Ali Shawakh (12 years old) and Hani Ali Shawakh (16 years old), were injured when Turkish artillery shelling struck the home of Ali Hasnawi…

Summary

Published
25 September 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported injured
2
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

10 January 2025

Incident Code

TS765

Location

خانا سري, Khana Sari, Al-Hasakah, Syria
Two civilians were reportedly killed and another injured in an alleged Turkish drone strike on a civilian car in the village of Khana Sari, in the countryside of the city of Derik in al-Jazeera canton in the al-Hasakah governorate of northeastern Syria, on the evening of Friday, 10 January 2025. Multiple local news sources, referring…

Summary

Published
19 September 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
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

10 January 2025

Incident Code

TS767

Location

خان الجبل, Khan al-Jabal, Al-Hasakah, Syria
On Friday, January 10, 2025, two civilians, a female Kurdish activist and her driver, were killed by an alleged Turkish drone that hit a civilian car in the village of Khan al-Jabal (Khana Seri) in the countryside of the city of al-Malikiyah, located in the north of al-Hasakah governorate in Syria. According to an article…

Summary

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