An Iraqi- Kurdish villager experiencing intense Turkish airstrikes likens the atrocities to “another Anfal”, referring to the genocidal campaign launched by Ba’athist Iraq in 1988. That campaign included ground offensives, aerial bombardments, chemical warfare, the systematic destruction of settlements, mass deportations and firing squads. Turkey’s new attacks in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) are having a devastating impact on local Kurdish villagers who bear the brunt of the operations.
An elderly man from Mezhe expressed his grief: “I have lost ten members of my family. Don’t I have the right to cry?” Another villager described the devastation in Kevnemij, where fires spread from nearby attacks and destroyed 90% of the village. “The fires have consumed our fields and houses. Everything we had is gone,” he lamented. A third villager described how his tractor and farmland were completely burnt, leaving him with nothing.
The plight of these villagers underlines the wider impact of Turkey’s operations on both the resident communities and the ecosystem of the region. The response of the international community will be crucial in addressing these humanitarian concerns and preventing further devastation.
Turkey has established seven new bases deep inside Iraqi Kurdish territory, bringing the total to 71, raising concerns about a de facto Turkish occupation under the guise of operations against the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). According to the Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT), Turkey has carried out 238 bombardments since the start of the new operation, displacing at least 162 villages and threatening another 602 with displacement. In addition, 2000 hectares of farmland have been destroyed, indicating a permanent military presence facilitated by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Map of new Turkish military operations in Iraqi Kurdistan showing that Turkey has built seven new bases. They now have 71 bases in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Map of new Turkish military operations in IK showing Turkey has build 7 new bases. They now have 71 bases in IK. To read overview of new TAF operations read 👉 https://t.co/WlByXft8bD#Turkey #Iraq #Kurdistan pic.twitter.com/9xPRM8AnXR
— CPT Iraqi Kurdistan (@cptiraq) July 7, 2024
The Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) and the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) have issued strong condemnations and called for urgent international action to stop Turkey’s military strategy. The KCK accused Turkey of escalating its genocidal actions with the support of the KDP and the Iraqi federal government and called for Kurdish unity and resistance against efforts to undermine Kurdish sovereignty.
