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

31 December 2024

Incident Code

TI116

Location

مصنع بالقرب من قرية سركلي في قضاء العمادية بمحافظة دهوك, a factory near the village of Sarkali, in the Amadiya district in Dohuk Governorate, Dohuk, Iraq
At 2:50 p.m. on December 31, 2024, a Kurdish man from Syria was seriously injured as a result of an alleged Turkish artillery shelling of a gravel and sand factory located on the banks of the Sabna River near the village of Sarkali, in the Amadiya district in ​​Dohuk Governorate of Iraq. According to Iraq.lens,…

Summary

Published
11 September 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Warehouse (Raw Material)
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

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

22 December 2024

Incident Code

TS759

Location

نطقة عين العرب, Ayn al-Arab District, Aleppo, Syria
On the evening of Sunday, December 22, 2024, a woman, Sawsan Khalaf (35), and her teenage daughter, Naseem Khalaf (12), were killed in an alleged Turkish artillery strike on their house located in the village of Jaada in the southern countryside of Kobani in northern Syria. Hawar News Agency reported: “The village of Jaada in…

Summary

Published
22 December 2024
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential (House)
Civilians reported killed
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