Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

TS655

Incident date

October 27, 2023

Location

ساحة ازادي, Azadi Square, city of Al-Malikiyah (Dayrik), Qamishlo canton, Al-Hasakah, Syria

Airwars assessment

On Friday, October 27, 2023, an 11-year-old child Ahmed Shaheen was injured alongside a 39-year-old woman Avin Khalil, and later died of his injuries inflicted by an drone strike declared by the Turkish military on the Azadi Square in Al-Malikiyah city, also known as Dayrik, in the Hasakah countryside, Syria, an area under the influence of the Autonomous Administration.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the strike also killed a senior commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces and the coordinator with the International Coalition Forces, Shibli Dirik (Farhad Derik), when he was leaving his home in Azadi Square. According to SOHR, Dirik had previously been targeted in a failed assassination attempt by a Turkish drone. Multiple sources on social media posted the images of the deceased militant.

SOHR reported that the injured child and woman were hospitalized in a hospital in Hasakah. Later on the same day, October 27, 2023, SOHR provided an update claiming that the child died due to the wounds.

The airstrike was also reported by multiple prominent local media outlets, which corroborated the location, number of the victims, their identities, ages, and information regarding the suspected belligerent. One source, Qamishlo now, claimed that two children were injured as a result of the attack; however, it did not provide details regarding the identity of the victim.

On the day of the incident, a local news outlet on Facebook posted a video which appeared to show the remains of a shell, allegedly as a result of the attack. Meanwhile, another media agency shared a picture showing the damage to the house with a broken window and the remains of the shell on the ground.

The Turkish government released a statement through state-run Anadolu Agency that the Turkish intelligence agency (MIT) “neutralized terrorist Muhammed Azo [his Arabic name rather than his Kurdish name], the so-called Derik brigade leader of the terrorist organization PKK/YPG, in an operation in northern Syria.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmed Shaheen أحمد شاهين
11 years old male killed
Avin Khalil أفين خليل
39 years old female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Known attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Known target
    YPG/SDF
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Source: Derke Hamko facebook
  • Source: Qamishlo voice facebook
  • Source: Qamishlo voice facebook
  • Source: Qamishlo voice facebook
  • Source: Kobani live facebook
  • Source: Qamishlo now facebook

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Turkish Military

According to information obtained from security sources, Muhammed Azo was targeted by MİT last year, but he survived the operation injured.

Action was taken after it was determined that terrorist Azo, who was sent abroad by the terrorist organization PKK/YPG for treatment, returned to Derik in northern Syria.

MİT neutralized terrorist Azo, the so-called Derik brigade leader of the terrorist organization PKK/YPG, in an operation in northern Syria.

Terrorist Muhammed Azo was wanted on the grounds that he was the perpetrator of the attack on the Yakacık Police Station of the 1st Border Battalion Command on the Şırnak/Cizre-Silopi road on February 2, 2022, in which private Tarık Tarcan was martyred and 3 soldiers were injured, 20 days before his discharge. .

While Muhammed Azo was serving as the so-called brigade officer in the terrorist organization, he served as the coordination officer of the joint exercise in which 250 PYD/YPG terrorists participated with the United States in Derik in northern Syria on September 7, 2022, and posed candidly with US soldiers. was also determined.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Known attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Known target
    YPG/SDF
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS654

Incident date

October 26, 2023

Location

قرية الربيعية, Al-Rabiya village west of Hama, Hama, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least five identified civilians, including two women and two children, were killed and between two and five civilians were injured in a drone strike on the Al-Rabiya village of Hama countryside in central Syria, declared by Al-Fateh Al-Mubin, a militia affiliated and supported by the Turkish military, during the evening of Thursday, October 26, 2023.

SANA News referring to the Hama Police Command reported that three people were killed and two injured in that attack. The Syrian Ministry of Defense alleged that three people were killed and two others were injured while Sputnik reported the injured were three, and RT counted only two.

The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights reported the highest death toll –  four citizens killed, including two women, and that the five injured were all from the same family. SOHR added that there was a state of terror and panic that struck the residents of the area. The victims were transported to the Hama National Hospital for treatment.

Social media posts helped to identify six victims of the deadly attack. According to the Syria news network, the strike killed a soldier, Lieutenant Sharaf Muhammad Ali Muhammad alongside the civilians named as Amna Ibrahim Asaad, the little girl Hala Kamel Al-Ali, and a girl Maryam Habib Al-Ali.  Hama branch Facebook account also mentioned Ayman Ali Al-Muhammad and Aya Al-Ahmad among the killed, noting that their bodies arrived at the National Hospital in Hama. Mesyaf news reported about Ayman Ali Al-Muhammad, Amna, Hala and Maryam.

Maryam Habib Al-Ali was a ninth grade student with long straight hair, fair skin and brown eyes. A photo of her was posted while wearing a green bracelet and a red t-shirt with a white stripe on both shoulders. The other girl, Hala Kamel Al-Ali, was a baby with fair skin and brown eyes, a photo of her was posted where she is dressed with a yellow knitted cap and green pijama with print.

The Fox Press Facebook account reported that “the drone took off from the areas of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and the pro-Turkey factions, and flew over the airspace of the city of Suqaylabiyah before heading to the town of Al-Rabiah, while ground anti-aircraft guns tried to confront it in the skies of the region without being able to shoot it down.”

The Military monitor media alluded to the death of the Syrian military soldier and also posted a photo of the ceremony where military corpses are gathered inside a room in the Hama National Hospital behind four coffins covered with the Syrian flag. Another picture show a soldier surrounded by his colleagues, giving a military salute to the coffin that was being loaded at the entrance of the hospital.

A procession was also held on October 27 from the hospital. Mesyaf News posted a photo of a man with a brown long tunic who was one step from a multitude of militaries, with his head bowed in front of a coffin covered with the Syrian flag and flowers. Another photo showed many men and a kid gathered around two men, one in front of the other. The first one giving a military salute to the other, while the other holds in his hands probably a folded flag.

According to Military monitor Facebook account and North Syria Live news, the Al-Fateh Al-Mubin militia carried out the drone attack. The Al-Fateh Al-Mubin militia declared the strike in a statement published by North Syria Live news: “Our mujahideen targeted the headquarters of Assad’s gangs in the town of Al-Rabiah, west of Hama, and direct hits were achieved among the enemy’s headquarters in response to targeting the city of Idlib.” However, no civilian casualties were mentioned in this statement.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Amna Ibrahim Asaad آمنة إبراهيم أسعد
Adult female killed
Aya Al-Ahmad آية الأحمد
Adult female killed
Hala Kamel Al-Ali هالة كامل العلي
Child female killed
Maryam Habib Al-Ali, مريم حبيب العلي
Child female killed
Ayman Ali Al-Muhammad أيمن علي المحمد
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Known attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Known target
    Assad regime
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (11) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Syria TV news
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Syria TV news
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Syria TV news
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Syria TV news
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Syria TV news
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Military monitor facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Military monitor facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: SYria news network facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Atef Anka facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Mesyaf news facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Mesyaf news facebook

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Turkish Military

Al-Fateh Al-Mubin: Our mujahideen targeted the headquarters of Assad’s gangs in the town of Al-Rabiah, west of Hama, and direct hits were achieved among the enemy’s headquarters in response to targeting the city of Idlib.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Known attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Known target
    Assad regime
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS653

Incident date

October 25, 2023

Location

قرية المشيرفة, village Al Mushairfa in the Ain Issa district, Ain Issa, Syria

Airwars assessment

On the afternoon or evening of Wednesday, October 25th, 2023, alleged Turkish artillery shelling struck the village of Al Mushairfa located 8 km east of the town of Ain Issa, Syria, injuring one civilian and striking grain silos.

The injured civilian has been named by most of the sources as a 26-year old Bashar Ahmed Al-Fanash, although North News reported that his age was 23. He was transported to Ain Issa Hospital where he received treatment for his wounds, some of which were located on his head as pictured.

Numerous local sources such as Hawar News reported that the bombs also hit a grain warehouse and silos in the city centre, however did not provide further details on the damage.

All sources attributed the attack to Turkish military forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Bashar Ahmed Al-Fanash بشار أحمد
26 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Impact
    Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: ANHA facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ain Esa Plus facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Impact
    Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS652

Incident date

October 22, 2023

Location

قرية الشيخ عيسى, Sheikh Esa, Aleppo countryside, Syria

Airwars assessment

In the morning of Sunday, October 22nd, 2023, an alleged Turkish artillery strike seriously injured a woman in the village of Sheikh Esai n the Al-Shahba countryside, north of Aleppo. According to Alyaum News, civilian property was also damaged by the strike.

According to the Human Rights Organization Afrin – Syria, the 22-year-old woman, named as Samira Khaled Issa, was injured by shrapnel from an artillery shell fired by the Turkish forces. She was transferred to Tal Rifaat Hospital to receive treatment, as depicted by images of the woman on a hospital bed.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to the Turkish military.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Samira Khaled Issa سميرة خالد عيسى
22 years old female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: ANF news

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS651

Incident date

October 20, 2023

Location

قرية الشيخ عيسى, Sheikh Esa,  the Al-Shahba area, Aleppo countryside, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

On Friday, October 20th, 2023, an alleged Turkish artillery shelling in the village of Sheikh Esa, located in the Al-Shahba area in the northern countryside of Aleppo, injured a young man.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the 22-year-old man, named as Ali Radwan Ahmed, was taken to hospital for treatment for injuries suffered on his arm. ANF news shared an image where his injured arm can be seen.

Sources disclosed that the injury was a part of Turkish shelling across the Al-Shaba District, whilst others reported that the artillery was directed at the Shirawa District, where Kurdish forces are currently deployed.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to the Turkish military.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ali Radwan Ahmed علي رضوان احمد
22 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: ANF news

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    YPG/SDF

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS650

Incident date

October 20, 2023

Location

قرية عقيبة , Akaybah/Ogaybah, Shirawa, Afrin countryside, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

On Friday, October 20th, two civilians were injured as a result of alleged Turkish military bombing on the town of Akaybah (Ogaybah in Kurdish). They were injured while working in the fields surrounding the town, and were taken to the closest medical center for treatment.

One civilian was identified as 29-year-old Shaima Muhammad Rajab Talib. Sources remain divided over the identity of the second victim. While some reported the wounded to be a man, Farid Mustafa Barakat, others name the civilian as a woman, Farida Mustafa Barakat. Despite confusion over the gender of the injured, sources agree on the civilian’s age: 23 years old. Importantly however, an image included with a written source show two women holding their injuries. Both injuries appeared to be minor.

Where sources identified a belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to Turkish forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Shaima Muhammad Rajab Talib شيماء محمد رجب طالب
29 years old female injured
Farida Mustafa Barakat or Farid Mustafa Barakat فريدة مصطفى بركات or فريد مصطفى بركات
23 years old injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Afrin Rankin news facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS647

Incident date

October 9, 2023

Location

البشرية, the village of Al-Bashiriya, al-Hasakah, Al-Hasakah, Syria

Airwars assessment

In the morning hours of Monday, October 9th, 2023, at least five civilians, including four women and a child, were injured by an alleged Turkish bombardment while working in cotton fields in the village of Al-Bashiriya located in the Al-Darbasiyah district of Al-Hasakah in northeastern Syria.

According to the Hawar news agency and Aso news, the injured women – Raksa Saleh Fawaz (50 years old), Khadija Eidan al-Qamar (40 years old), Farah Adnan (25 years old), Zeina Hammoud (20 years old), and Jumana Hammad (12 years old), –  were taken to a hospital in Darbasiya district, and then to hospitals in Hasakah city to receive treatment. According to a medical source at Al-Shaab Hospital, Raksa Saleh Fawaz was seriously injured in the head and hand, Khadija Eidan Al-Qamar was injured in the abdomen, Farah Adnan was subjected to amputation of her legs, Zeina Hammoud was injured in the thigh, and the girl Jumana Hammad was injured by scattered shrapnel in the back.

Farah Adnan, who lost her legs in this attack, shared her grievances to Human Rights Organization “Afrin”: “Hello world, my name is Farah, and I was picking cotton with my mother when Turkey bombed us. As a result, I lost my legs, and I cannot walk and play anymore.”

Omer Hassan shared an image of Farah in the hospital where her injuries can be seen. According to him, among the injured was also Farah’s mother.

Another injured woman, Khadija Eidan al-Tamr, commented to Hawar news:  “We are female workers who work in the cotton harvest in the village of Al-Bashiriya, east of Zarkan district, and in the morning hours, Turkish aircraft bombed the area, and as a result, she and my friends at work were injured.”

Hawar news, Facebook user Qamishlo and other sources shared the images of the injured women being treated at the hospital. An elderly woman Raksa Saleh Fawaz  in a green dress is seen crying in the images while her head is bandaged.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) claimed that the number of the injured civilians was eight rather than five, and children are among the victims. However, it did not provide any further details.

Where the sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to the Turkish military. However, the sources differed regarding the nature of the strike – Rafidain news and Hawar news alleged that that was an airstrike, Athar press, Derbiseye Facebook account claimed that was an artillery bombardment.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Rakza Saleh Fawaz ركزة صالح فواز
50 years old female injured
Khadija Eidan Al-Qamar خديجة عيدان القمر
40 years old female injured
Farah Adnan فرح عدنان
25 years old female injured
Zeina Hammoud زينة حمود
20 years old female injured
Jumana Hammad جمانة حماد
12 years old female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–8
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (18) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Tal Tamer facebook
  • Source: Nudem facebook
  • Source: Nudem facebook
  • Source: Nudem facebook
  • Source: Nudem facebook
  • Source: Nudem facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Qamishlo facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Qamishlo facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Qamishlo facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Qamishlo facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Deir Ezzor updates facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Nudem facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Nudem facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Nudem facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Hawar News
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Omer Hassan facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–8
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS648

Incident date

October 9, 2023

Location

قرية المستور, Al-Mastoor village, near Ain Essa district, Hasakah, al-Hasakah, Syria

Airwars assessment

In the afternoon of Monday, October 9th, 2023, an alleged Turkish artillery strike reportedly killed two children –  a girl named Nadia Mohsen Al-Ayyash (aged 8-10, according to different sources) and a boy named Ali Ahmed Al-Ayyash (aged 6-9) in the village of Al-Mastour located in the western outskirts of the city of Ain Issa, Syria. Additionally, in the same attack, a boy was seriously injured and transferred to a hospital in the city of Raqqa, as reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

A resident of Ain Issa said in a comment to North Press Agency that the two children who were killed in the incident were cousins. He added that the artillery shelling targeted populated villages on the contact line in the Ain Issa countryside.

Social media sources, including ANha Arabic, Shahba Alez and RPJ Rojava posted graphic images of the deceased children.

Where the sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to the Turkish military.

The exact local time of the incident is unknown.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ali Ahmed Al-Ayyash علي احمد العياش
9 years old male killed
Nadia Mohsen Al-Ayyash نادية محسن العياش
10 years old female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Shahba Alez facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Shahba Alez facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Shahba Alez facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Shahba Alez facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: RPJ Rojava facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: RPJ Rojava facebook
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Warning: very graphic video

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]