The Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) called for heightened resistance against aggressions from Iran and Turkey in a statement on Saturday, particularly highlighting recent Iranian missile attacks and ongoing threats to Kurdish autonomy.
The KCK emphasised the recent missile attacks by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Erbil (Hewlêr), the capital of the Kurdistan Region. This attack resulted in civilian casualties, including the death of Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee.
The KCK condemned both the missile strike and the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) policies, which they claim are transforming Kurdistan into a war and occupation zone. While they criticised the KDP’s policies, the KCK declared that attacks targeting Kurdish people and settlements are neither legitimate nor justified. “The Iranian state should establish constructive dialogues with the Kurds, stop its attacks on Kurdistan and not provide a basis for attempts to legitimize the Turkish occupation,” the umbrella organisation said.
Furthermore, the KCK statement underlined the ongoing “genocidal attacks” led by the Turkish state against the Kurdish population. They praised the resistance demonstrated by the Kurdistan guerrilla forces, asserting that their actions are disrupting the balance of the “fascist” Turkish state and causing them to become more aggressive.
In highlighting their critical stance towards the policies of the KDP, the organisation said, “The KDP has not only turned a deaf ear to these criticisms and warnings, but has also become even more resentful towards the Kurdish freedom movement”.
The KCK also criticised the international community and the Erbil administration for their lack of response to these aggressions. They particularly highlighted the use of chemical, thermobaric, and tactical nuclear weapons against Kurds, which they claim are being ignored internationally. The statement pointed out the KDP’s role in facilitating the Turkish government’s military presence in the Kurdistan Region, including the forced evacuation of villages.
In addition to the KCK’s statement, Erbil’s Chamber of Trade and Industry called for a boycott of Iranian products as a protest against Tehran’s missile attacks. The chamber urged businessmen and residents to halt imports and the consumption of Iranian goods, citing that Erbil is a significant market for these products. They also advocated for stopping all economic and trade relations with Tehran.
