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The military operation launched by Turkey against the Zap, Metîna and Avashîn regions (known as Medya Defence Zones, defended by guerrillas) of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region has been ongoing since 23 April 2021. Although the operation has continued with the support of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Roj Peshmerga (a Turkish-trained contraguerilla force of the KDP) and groups of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), in the 11 months since it started, the Turkish armed forces have not made any siginificant progess or achieved the desired results in the operation.
The impasse in the 11-month operation has intensified diplomatic traffic between Ankara and Erbil (Hewlêr). For some time, the media in Iraqi Kurdistan and sources in the region have been reporting that Turkey will launch a new operation against Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) fighters in the near future, with the active participation of the KDP.
The Firat News Agency reports that according to their sources in the region, the Turkish army will launch a new operation in the Kani Masi district of Dohuk (Dihok) province on 15 April 2022.
The Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) has issued a statement on the developments.
“According to information discussed in the press and also that which has reached us, there are plans for some provocative actions to justify the active participation of the KDP in the new occupation operation of the Turkish state in South (Başûrê) Kurdistan. This is a very dangerous situation which serves the occupation aims of the Turkish state.” the KCK said.
“As we have often done before, we call on the KDP not to be involved in the Turkish state’s dirty war of occupation and not to be instrumental in the plans of the fascism of the AKP-MHP (Justice and Development Party – Nationalist Movement Party, Turkey’s ruling coalition).”
KCK also called on the parliament of Iraqi Kurdistan:
“We also urge the Kurdistan Parliament, political parties, NGOs, institutions and the public to oppose such an invasion plan and to warn the KDP [against involvement]. We inform all our people [so they may stand] against this plan, which is a catastrophe for our country as a whole. The KDP should not be involved in this dirty plan.”
