Extensive deforestation is paving the way for the construction of military outposts, resulting in an ecological disaster in the Kurdish-majority Şırnak (Şirnex), Turkey. The Gabar, Cûdî and Besta areas, frequently designated as “special security zones” by the Şırnak governor’s office, have experienced relentless tree cutting over the past three years, leading to the loss of eight percent of local forest cover.
The Besta region has been particularly affected, with 68 locations, including Girêsêvê and Baçûka, seeing vast areas of forest destroyed. In the Cûdî Mountains, the situation is dire, with tree felling combined with coal mining operations in places like Deriyê Çirçiro and Avreşka. This dual assault has led to severe soil erosion, water contamination and a significant decline in fruit tree productivity.
The Gabar Mountains are undergoing similar devastation under the guise of oil exploration. Villages such as Zivîng and Deştlala have been stripped of their forests, obliterating natural habitats and displacing local wildlife.
Recently, deforestation has spread to the Komate region in Beytüşşebap (Elkê) district, where thousands of trees have been felled, and the timber sold in various cities. The areas where trees have been cleared are rapidly being converted into military zones, with 22 military towers already constructed in the Cûdî Mountains and plans for 20 more in Gabar.
Drastic deforestation for military purposes in Kurdish areas is not only an environmental catastrophe but also a cultural and ecological erasure, turning once-vibrant green landscapes into stark, militarised concrete zones.
