Casualty Recording ▸ Conflicts

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
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Incident Date ↓ Publication Date

Incident Date

9 January 2020

Incident Code

TS405

Location

عين عيسى, Ain Issa, Raqqa, Syria
One or two civilians were reported wounded when Turkish drones allegedly targeted an SDF Asayish (Kurdish Public Security Forces) checkpoint at the entrance of Ain Issa town, in Raqqa governorate of Syria, on January 9th, 2020. Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently Facebook Page said one of the civilians endured minor injuries. @SDF_Syria and @Karl_hakon said…

Summary

Published
9 January 2020
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported injured
1–2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident →

Incident Date

1 January 2020

Incident Code

TS404

Location

تل أبيض, Tal Abyad, Raqqa, Syria
One civilian, named as Ammar Alhaji, was reportedly shot dead by members of the al Majd Brigade of the Syrian National Army. According to Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, the man was "shot dead while he was trying to prevent fighters of Turkish-backed Al-Majd Legion from stealing his car.". Euphrates Post reported that the victim was…

Summary

Published
1 January 2020
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Civilians reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
Turkish Military
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Incident Date

24 December 2019

Incident Code

TS403

Location

زونار, Zunnar, Raqqa, Syria
One civilian was reported injured in alleged Turkish or Turkish-backed shelling on Zunnar village of Ain Issa, Raqqa on December 24th, 2019 according to local sources. ANHA reported that the Turkish attack directly targeted civilian areas. Other sources blamed Turkish backed mercenaries. @Karl_hakon reported that "Turkish-backed mercenaries targeted civilian areas in the Ain Issa countryside…

Summary

Published
24 December 2019
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported injured
1
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident →

Incident Date

20 December 2019

Incident Code

TS402

Location

صيدا, Saida, Raqqa, Syria
Three civilians were reported injured in an alleged Turkish forces drone or artillery attack on Saida village in Ain Issa, Raqqa on December 20th, 2019 according to local sources. The three civilians are said to be in serious conditions.

Summary

Published
20 December 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike), Airstrike and/or Artillery
Civilians reported injured
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident →

Incident Date

20 December 2019

Incident Code

TS401

Location

ام حرملة, Um Hammala, Al Hassakah, Syria
Three civilians were reported injured as a result of alleged Turkish forces or Turkey-backed militants' artillery shelling on Um Hammala village in Zarkan, Hasakah, Syria on December 20th, 2019 according to local sources. No more details are available at the moment.

Summary

Published
20 December 2019
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported injured
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident →

Incident Date

9 December 2019

Incident Code

TS400

Location

Tal al-Ward, Tal Tamr, Al Hassakah, Syria
Rojava Information Centre tweeted: "...On 9th December Turkish proxy forces attacked the surroundings of Zirgan (Abu Rasin) town with mortar and heavy weapons. One villager was killed in Tal al-ward". No further details are currently available,.

Summary

Published
9 December 2019
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported killed
1
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident →

Research and Investigations

View all →
17 May, 2023
Visualisation
Iraq

Reported civilian deaths from Turkish Military strikes in Iraq

Database tracks casualties in Iraq during Turkish strikes
6 Sep, 2022
Visualisation
Iraq, Syria

Turkish Military in Iraq and Syria Casualty Map

Turkey has conducted hundreds of unilateral air and artillery strikes in both Syria and Iraq – as well as a small number of actions as part of the US-led Coalition against so-called Islamic State. From July 2015 in Iraq, occasional unilateral Turkish airstrikes began targeting Kurdish militants in northern Kurdistan. Thirteen months later, the first […]
8 Feb, 2022
Investigations
Iraq

Who killed Ahmed and Youssef?

When two Iraqi holidaymakers were killed in the Kurdish region of the country, the finger of blame turned to Turkish strikes. But this investigation finds a roadside bomb was the more likely cause.
25 Feb, 2021
Research
Iraq, Türkiye

Renewed military campaign in northern Iraq against PKK sees deaths of 13 Turkish captives

A renewed campaign by Turkey in mid February against a Kurdish militant faction – which has seen Turkish troops pushing deeper than ever before into northern Iraq – also saw the deaths of thirteen Turkish civilian and military captives in a highly controversial attack, Airwars monitoring of the region shows. On February 10th, the Turkish […]
24 Dec, 2019
Update
Syria

More than 220 civilians likely killed in Turkish invasion of northern Syria

Eleven weeks on from the October 9th launch of a Turkish-led offensive against Kurds in northern Syria, known as ‘Operation Peace Spring’, fighting continues to rage with civilians still encountering significant violence. Since the beginning of the latest clashes, Airwars researchers have overall monitored between 244 and 312 reported civilian deaths resulting from air, artillery […]
18 Oct, 2019
Update
Syria, Türkiye

Civilians severely at risk from Turkish invasion of Northern Syria

Airwars monitors locally reported civilian harm from all Turkish air and artillery strikes in Iraq and Syria, as well as from Kurdish counterfire actions. Our database can be found here. More than 120 civilian deaths have been locally alleged in eight days of fighting in northern Syria to October 16th, following a Turkish-led offensive, ‘Operation […]