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The Iraqi Kurdistan representative of the Community Peacemaker Teams* (CPT), Kameran Osman, spoke to Özgür Politika about the impact of the Turkish invasion in the region.
According to CPT, 109 civilians have been killed, 130 civilians have been injured, 148 villages were completely evacuated, 11 residential buildings were demolished and 600 more villages are under the threat of being demolished and evacuated.
Kameran Osman said that the Turkish invasion is likely to cause a new wave of refugees saying: “If the conflict continues, a larger disaster will happen. People will be slaughtered and those who survive will want to leave and emigrate to Europe.”
Osman stated that the Turkish Armed Forces are already 19 km deep inside Iraqi Kurdistan towards the Şeladize region, and 11 houses in the Berwari region have already been demolished as a result of the attacks.
He added ‘’Up to now, 148 villages have been evacuated. 600 more are facing the threat of evacuation. During the latest attacks, these villages have not been evacuated completely, but families have already began leaving their villages.’’.
‘’The attacks are targeting the civilians’’
Osman stated that the Community Peacemaker Teams are working intensely on trying to halt the Turkish invasion contacting both the Federal Iraqi Kurdistan and the Iraq Parliament and added ‘’The Federal Administration said that the Iraqi Government is responsible for the borders. The Iraqi Government said the exact opposite. It is very clear that the attacks do not only target the PKK positions, they are targeting the civilian population as well. We are also working with officials abroad. We have brought the case to the European Union. We have also held many seminars regarding the invasion. We are in contact with the embassies, both in Iraq and Federal Kurdistan. Our struggle to stop the Turkish invasion will continue.’’
* Previously, Christian Peacemaker Teams
