The deforestation carried out by village guards under military supervision in the Cudî, Gabar, and Cilênimêja mountains and the Besta, Komato, and Qaşuran regions of Şırnak has been going on uninterrupted for five years. As the forested areas are being destroyed one by one, the region is being completely turned into a wasteland. In the Gabar Mountain, work initiated three years ago under the pretext of “oil exploration” has left the region completely barren.

In recent days, tree felling in Gabar Mountain has spread to different areas. New images show felled trees stacked for miles in the villages of Basra Hilareş and Kölen Pınar. The felled trees are being gathered in one area using tractors. The images also reveal the extent of ecological damage in the region.