Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

TI050

Incident date

August 30, 2020

Location

زاب, Zab area, Duhok, Iraq

Geolocation

37.255337, 43.569031 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Nearby landmark level. Continue to map

Geolocation accuracy

Nearby landmark

Airwars assessment

A woman was killed in an alleged Turkish airstrike on Zab area, on August 30th, 2020. While some sources reported that the victim, Hiam Noah Haji, was a political leader of the Kurdish Labour Party, other sources wrote she was the leader of a PKK militia.

Khabour reported that “Kurdistan Labour Party leader Hiam Noah Haji from the village of Pestasos in Maliki countryside was killed due to a Turkish airstrike in Zab area in northern Iraq.”

@VOSyria_ and @suriye_u_a_dr, however, reported that Haji was the leader of a PKK militia.

All sources blamed Turkey for the airstrike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

  • Hiam Noah Haji Adult female leader with the Kurdistan Labour Party killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Translation: “An air strike by Turkish warplanes on the Zab region in northern Iraq kills Hiyam Noah Hajji, the leader of the PKK militia, from the village of Pestasos in the countryside of Hasaka” (via @VOSyria_).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Zab (زاب) region, in northern Iraq (العراق). Research shows the existence of a Great Zab River (نهر الزاب العظيم) that flows through Turkey, and the districts of Duhok (دهۆک) and Nineveh (نينوى). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for the northernmost post of the river within the boundaries of Iraq are: 37.255337, 43.569031.

Turkish Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Turkish Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 women)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4279

Incident date

September 7, 2020

Location

أريحا , Ariha, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

A single source reported that two people were killed and several others injured in Russian forces and Syrian regime artillery shelling on Ariha on Sep 7th, 2020.

No further information is available at this moment.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Armed Forces, Syrian Regime Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Russian Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Armed Forces
  • Russian Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Regime Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime Armed Forces
  • Syrian Regime Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Armed Forces, Syrian Regime Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

ISSY012

Incident date

August 31, 2020

Location

الكسوة, Al Kiswa, Rural Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.357582, 36.245826 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Geolocation accuracy

Village

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian was reported killed in an alleged Israeli airstrike on Al Kiswa in rural Damascus, Syria on August 31st, 2020.

Khabour reported “Israeli warplanes launch an airstrike on the [Syrian] regime’s sites in Al-Kiswa area in Damascus countryside.”

Local sources said that the airstrike led to the death of seven Hizbullah fighters, three Syrian regime soldiers and a civilian.

Step Agency reported that the regime lost two of its soldiers in the attack and that seven others were injured. From their side, the Syrian Observatory said that “five Iranian-backed militiamen were killed, including three of non-Syrian nationalities, and more than ten others were injured today in Israeli strikes on south of Damascus.”

However, Euphrates post said that a rocket that the Syrian regime launched in response to the Israeli airstrike mistakenly felt on an area in Al-Kiswa killings civilians and causing damage.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Israeli Armed Forces, Unknown, Syrian Regime Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown
  • Belligerents reported killed
    11

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Kiswa (الكسوة), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.357582, 36.245826. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Israeli Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Armed Forces
  • Israeli Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Regime Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime Armed Forces
  • Syrian Regime Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Israeli Armed Forces, Unknown, Syrian Regime Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown
  • Belligerents reported killed
    11

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI048

Incident date

August 19, 2020

Location

كانى ماز, Kani Masi, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.229298, 43.438993 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Geolocation accuracy

Village

Airwars assessment

One civilian was allegedly killed by a Turkish airstrike on Kani Masi.

Rudaw reported: “Khalid Abdulrahman, 60, was killed while trying to rescue his grazing livestock after several Turkish airstrike hit the village of Kani Mazin, according to Kani Masi Mayor Sarbast Akrey.

‘At 1:45pm a drone came and fired two rockets and then a jet came and fired three others. When the jet fired the sixth rocket it hit the vicinity of the village,’ Akrey told Rudaw English.

‘The teacher tried to rescue the livestock which were near a fire caused by the bombardment but he was killed,’ he added.

The outskirts of the village were set alight by the airstrikes, and villagers have failed to extinguish the blaze, according to the mayor.”

According to Shafaaq the victim was 50 years old.

NRT said: “Sub-district director Sarbast Akrayi told NRT Digital Media that the Turkish military attacked the area around 1:30 pm, conducting five bombing runs, which caused significant damage to the villagers’ orchards and groves.”

Several sources said that the victim was the headmaster of a local school.

The incident occured between 1:30 pm and 1:54 am local time.

  • Khalid Abdulrahman 60 years old male Teacher killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Alleged Turkish airstrike on Kani Masi on August 19th, 2020 (via Gokturk report)
  • Alleged Turkish airstrike on Kani Masi on August 19th, 2020 (via Wa'ed)
  • Alleged Turkish airstrike on Kani Masi on August 19th, 2020 (via ANF)
  • Alleged Turkish airstrike on Kani Masi on August 19th, 2020 (via ANF)
  • Alleged Turkish airstrike on Kani Masi on August 19th, 2020 (via ANF)
  • Alleged Turkish airstrike on Kani Masi on August 19th, 2020 (via ANF)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kani Masi (كاني ماسي) for which the generic coordinates are: 37.229298, 43.438993. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Turkish Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS446

Incident date

August 17, 2020

Location

M4 غرب عين عيسى, M4, West of Ain Issa, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.385278, 38.859444 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Geolocation accuracy

Subdistrict

Airwars assessment

Deaths and injuries among civilians were reported by local sources as a result of alleged Turkish forces and Turkey-backed militants shelling of Ain Issa, in Raqqa, Syria on August 17th, 2020.

While most sources reported that two civilians were wounded, others reported deaths without a specific number.

@dersi4m tweeted that ‘theTurkish army and it’s jihadist groups shelled this evening the villages Abu Sira, Dibis and the surrounding of the Highway M4 in western of Ain Issa town.Two civilians have been wounded (ANHA).’

@RojavaSiyamend said that ‘Turkish forces bombard Ain Issa town areas with heavy weapons, directly targeting civilians. There are wounded and dead.’

No further information is available yet.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention areas being struck along the M4 highway, among them Abu Surra (ابو سيرا) and Dibis, in the western vicinity of Ain Issa (عين عيسى) town. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Ain Issa are: 36.385278, 38.859444.

  • Reports of the incident mention areas being struck along the M4 highway, among them Abu Surra (ابو سيرا) and Dibis, in the western vicinity of Ain Issa (عين عيسى) town.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Turkish Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Turkish Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TI047

Incident date

August 14, 2020

Location

أرادن‎, Araden, Dohuk, Iraq

Geolocation

37.10894, 43.31806 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Geolocation accuracy

Village

Airwars assessment

Up to three people were killed and another person was injured in alleged Turkish airstrikes on a vehicle in the village of Ardana, Dohuk governorate, on August 14th, 2020. It remains unclear whether the victims were civilians.

Rudaw reported: “The director of Bamerni district, Hamid Zubeir, told Rudaw Media Network that Turkish planes targeted a Hyundai Tucson car inside the village at 11 AM this Friday, in which three people were travelling. He added that the bombing resulted in the killing of two of them and the third was seriously wounded, and their identities are not known, indicating that the security authorities have begun investigating the incident.”

The PUK Media correspondent in Dohuk also reported that “the bombing resulted in the death of two people travelling on the vehicle, and another person was severely wounded.”

@Dersi4m, however, wrote that three people inside the vehicle were killed and another one was injured.

Currently, further information is unavailable to Airwars.

The incident occured at approximately 11:00 am local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–3
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–1

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of alleged Turkish airstrikes on the village of Ardana, Dohuk governorate, on August 14th, 2020 (via @Dersi4m).

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Araden (أرادن‎), for which the generic coordinates are: 37.10894, 43.31806. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Turkish Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–3
  • Belligerents reported injured
    0–1

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS445

Incident date

August 6, 2020

Location

قامشلي, Electrical cables manufacturing facility, Qamishli, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

37.056958, 41.261204 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Geolocation accuracy

Exact location (via Airwars)

Airwars assessment

One civilian was allegedly injured by a Turkish drone strike on Qamishli.

ANHA reported: “On Thursday evening, an explosion was heard at about 18:30 in the Swiss Canal neighborhood, east of Qamishlo, which was found to have been caused by a shell fired by a drone belonging to the Turkish occupation at a civilian electrical cables manufacturing facility. In addition, one of the workers was wounded in the bombing.

The citizen Sheikh Zein, one of the workers of the facility, explained to our agency ANHA: There was a drone hovering over the facility for several hours, then the facility was bombarded by a shell and one of our comrades was seriously injured and he was transferred to the hospital.’

Sheikh Zein emphasized that the facility is civilian and dozens of residents work there, denouncing the acts of the Turkish occupation against the civilians.”

Ahval said: “The drone strike hit a fuel company in the Allaya neighbourhood, injuring a man who was transferred to a hospital for treatment and causing property damage, Kurdistan 24 cited an unnamed local security forces commander as saying.”

7al wrote: “Today, Thursday, a civilian was lightly injured as a result of a shell landing in the Alaya neighborhood, near a building belonging to the fuel organization in the Autonomous Administration, east of the city of Qamishli.

According to residents of the neighborhood, ‘the 35-year-old civilian was injured by shrapnel and was taken to the’ Martyr Khabat ”hospital in Qamishli for treatment.”

North Press Agency said the injured was 40 years old.

SANA said the injury was caused by mortar shelling instead of a drone.

Steele Maiko posted on Facebook that it was rocket artillery.

The incident occured at approximately 6:30 pm local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (25) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (14) [ collapse]

  • Video showing the aftermath of the strike
  • Shrapnel from alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via ANHA)
  • Shrapnel from alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via ANHA)
  • Shrapnel from alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via ANHA)
  • Shrapnel from alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via ANHA)
  • Damage from alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via ANHA)
  • Impact of alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via ANF)
  • Impact of alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via NPA)
  • Surrounding area of alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via Zana Al-Ali)
  • Surrounding area of alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via Zana Al-Ali)
  • Surrounding area of alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via Zana Al-Ali)
  • Fragments of alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via Kurdistan 24)
  • Smoke rising after alleged Turkish strike on Qamishli on August 6th, 2020 (via Zana Al-Ali)

Geolocation notes (5) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention an electrical cables manufacturing facility being struck in the Allaya (علايا) neighbourhood of Al Qamishli (القامشلي). Using audio-visual material from sources we have narrowed this location down to a possible site, for which the coordinates are: 37.056958, 41.261204. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention an electrical cables manufacturing facility being struck in the Allaya (علايا) neighbourhood of Al Qamishli (القامشلي). Using audio-visual material from sources we have narrowed this location down to a possible site.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • Matching objects to audio-visual material, however with limited satellite imagery from 2019 we are unable to confirm the exact placement, especially if new buildings have been constructed between images taken.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • Matching objects to satellite imagery, however with limited satellite imagery from 2019 we are unable to confirm the exact placement, especially if new buildings have been constructed between images taken.

    Imagery:
    ANHA

  • Tagged visual material.

    Imagery:
    Zana Al-Ali

  • Tagged satellite imagery.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Turkish Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Turkish Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (25) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS444

Incident date

August 4, 2020

Location

Efdikê, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.686867, 38.781567 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Geolocation accuracy

Village

Airwars assessment

One civilian was allegedly injured by Turkish shelling on Afdko, west of Tal Abyad.

ANHA wrote: “Our agency correspondent reported that, in the meantime, the Turkish occupation army and its mercenaries are bombing the village of Afdko, located to the west of Tel Abyad.

Our correspondent explained that the shelling hit civilians and their homes, and said that preliminary information indicates that a civilian was injured, amid the continued shelling.”

Hogir necar tweeted similar information.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Efdikê, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.686867, 38.781567. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Turkish Armed Forces 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
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Armed Forces
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]