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 Date Publication Date

Incident Date

24 November 2024

Incident Code

TS738

Location

قرية حليصة, Halisa village in the northern countryside of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
On Sunday, November 24th, 2024, a civilian was killed and three children were injured by artillery shelling that allegedly originated from the Turkish military in the village of Halisa in the northern countryside of Aleppo, Syria. One of the children was then reported to have died in the hospital as a result of the injuries…

Summary

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

Incident Date

22 November 2024

Incident Code

TS737

Location

قرية هواليك كوبرلك, village of Hawalik Koberlik, the countryside of Tal Abyad, north of Raqqa, Raqqa, Syria
On Saturday, 23 November 2024, a child was killed by an alleged Turkish artillery shelling on the village of Hawalik Koberlik located in the countryside of Tal Abyad, north of Raqqa, Syria. Sources have identified the Turkish military as responsible for the attack. Information about the attack was reported in an article by the Syrian…

Summary

Published
11 September 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

9 September 2024

Incident Code

TS715

Location

تل رفعت, Tal Rifaat in the northern countryside of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
On Monday, September 9, 2024, a series of artillery and drone strikes allegedly carried out by Turkish forces and allied factions (al-Amshat militia) injured three civilians working in agricultural fields in the northern countryside of Aleppo, Syria, including the city of Tal Rifaat. The strikes involved artillery shelling and suicide drones, reportedly focusing on civilian…

Summary

Published
11 September 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike), Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture (Agricultural Land), Residential
Civilians reported injured
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

9 September 2024

Incident Code

TS713

Location

قرية ديرجمال, Deir Jamal Village, Afrin, Aleppo, Syria
On Monday, September 9th, 2024, one civilian was killed and four civilians, including two children, were reportedly injured following an alleged Turkish artillery strike on the countryside north of Aleppo, Syria. The village of Deir Jamal was hit by shelling in the afternoon and, in addition to the civilian casualties, suffered some material damage to…

Summary

Published
11 September 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
4
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

Incident Date

5 September 2024

Incident Code

TS711

Location

تل رفعت, Tal Rifaat, northern countryside of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
In the evening of Thursday, 5th September 2024, five civilians who had been earlier displaced from Afrin, including at least three women and a girl, were injured in the residential areas of the city of Tal Rifaat in the northern countryside of Aleppo, Syria, as a result of heavy gunfire allegedly perpetrated by the Turkish…

Summary

Published
11 September 2025
Strike Type
Ground operation
Civilians reported injured
5–6
Causes of Death / Injury
Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
Turkish Military
View Incident

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