UPDATE – On 10 August, following a clash between soldiers and PKK members in the rural area of Peyindas (Söğütlü) village in Tatvan (Tetwan) district, Bitlis (Bedlîs), Turkey, 10 villagers were detained. As of now, eight of the detainees have been reached, and they have reported being subjected to torture. Two villagers remain unaccounted for, and there are serious concerns for their lives. The detainees are being held in Tatvan, Ahlat, and Güroymak district police stations.
Pro-Kurdish Green Left Party Bitlis MP Hüseyin Olan also shared information about an ongoing blockade in the village and the villagers’ concerns. He mentioned that heavy machinery was brought to the village, and operations are continuing at full speed.
Photos of the physical torture inflicted on the detainees have surfaced in the media. The situation in the village remains tense, with residents unable to tend to their animals or fields due to the ongoing blockade and operation.
The families of the detained villagers remain deeply concerned for their safety. The region, marked by ongoing conflicts between Turkish military and the PKK, is now under heightened scrutiny, raising worries about the detainees’ well-being.
The incident began with a clash between soldiers and PKK members early in the morning, leading to a military operation in the village. The 15 villagers were detained during this operation, and their families have been trying to contact them since, fearing for their lives. However, Turkish authorities have not issued any official statement or clarification about the detainees.
In Bitlis’ Hizan (Xîzan) district, a curfew was imposed on 2 July, initiating a military operation in rural areas involving numerous soldiers and guards. Although the curfew lifted on 6 July, the military operation continued. On 14 July, a substantial area covering multiple villages was designated a special security zone with restricted citizen access.
These operations have inflicted considerable hardships on the villagers. Restrictions on their movements and ongoing military actions have disrupted their daily lives. The situation further escalated into intense clashes, especially after the area was marked as a “special security zone”. The region has since been subjected to continuous bombardment from helicopters and drones, resulting in not only human distress but also significant environmental damage.
