KURDISTAN

Latest News

• The largest lake in the Middle East dries up 

  Lake Urmia, the largest lake in the Middle East, has dried up by 90% during the past 30 years.
• Students in Rojhilat protest against attacks on kolbars 

  With a sit-in action, students of Elame University protested against attacks of the Iranian regime forces on kolbars.
• KDP wants to hand over the Bradost area to Turkey 

  Turkish army has invaded the Heci Beg River, Bermize village and its surroundings, Siro Mountains and Geliyê Reş, while villagers say the KDP wants to hand over the Bradost area to Turkey.
• Tevgera Azadi official and 14 other detainees go on hunger strike 

  Tevgera Azadi Sulaymaniyah province co-chair Azad Hecî Omer who was detained during mass protests on 19 December and 14 other detainees have started hunger strike in custody.
• Gerîla TV releases footage from an action in Çukurca 

  Gerîla TV has released footage from an action in which guerrillas targeted Turkish soldiers in the countryside of Hakkari’s Çukurca district on 18 October.
• Closure of Perwezxan border gate left 3,000 people jobless 

  Iran’s decision to close the Perwezxan border gate between Southern Kurdistan and Iran, left about three thousand people jobless in the region.
• Wave of arrests continues in Southern Kurdistan 

  The wave of detentions and arrests continues following the demonstrations in Southern Kurdistan. Two journalists and one activist have been detained in Sulaymaniyah.
• 15 people commit suicide in Kermanshah after the earthquake 

  15 people are reported to have committed suicide due to trauma and discriminatory policies of the Iranian regime during the 40 days after the earthquake that claimed hundreds of lives and caused a great destruction in Kermanshah.
• Journalist Rizgar Deniz laid to rest in Makhmur 

  Journalist Rizgar Deniz who got wounded while covering Operation Cizire Storm in Deir ez-Zor countryside and lost his life while receiving treatment in Qamishlo afterwards, has been laid to rest in Makhmur.
• Kurdish Islamic Party decides to stay in KRG 

  Southern Kurdistan’s Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) decided to stay within the Kurdistan Regional Government but put forward a set of conditions.
• All shops remain closed in Kelar to protest KRG 

  Residents of Kelar in Southern Kurdistan, stopped the life in the city to protest the Kurdistan Regional Government.
• Earthquake victims in Kermanshah are left to their fate 

  Thousands of earthquake victims don’t even have tents in the approaching winter.
• Kurdish poet interrogated by Iranian security forces 

  A poet from Ilam was arrested by the security forces and released after three days of interrogation.
• Iran sets up tents for earthquake victims in mined terrain 

  People of Serpêl Zehaw who were heavily affected by the earthquake of 12 November in Rojhilat (Eastern) Kurdistan, have been settled in a mined terrain.
• Dozens still in custody in Southern Kurdistan 

  Tens of people who were detained during mass streets protests across Southern Kurdistan are still held in custody and their situation is not known.
• Academic tortured under detention in Rania 

  Dr. Aram Mihemed, an academic from the Raperin University who was detained during protests in Southern Kurdistan, stated that he was tortured during his stay in custody and that he has had 12 stitches on his ears.
• Attack on kolbers: Three seriously wounded 

  Three kolbers were seriously wounded when Iranian forces opened fire on them in Bane, Rojhilat.
• Turkish army operation in Cudi and Gabar regions 

  Turkish state continues its military operations against PKK guerrillas in the Kurdish region of the country.
• KDP forces shut down office of an NGO in Hewlêr 

  Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) police (asayish) forces banned a seminar by Academy for Politics and Democratic Thought and shut down the office of the organization in Hewlêr (Erbil).
• 42 fighters join YBŞ ranks in Shengal 

  42 fighters have completed their training and joined the ranks of Shengal Resistance Units.
• 31 areas in Hakkari declared restricted zones 

  31 areas within the boundaries of Hakkari city center and three districts have been declared “special military zones”.
• Housing aid for Şırnak from Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê 

  Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê continues to support the people in Şırnak devastated by the Turkish state.
• HPG: Military vehicle carrying an outpost commander destroyed 

  HPG stated that a Turkish military vehicle carrying soldiers including Ağrı’s Qozıli outpost commander has been destroyed by guerrillas.
• KDP escorts Turkish troops expanding their invasion in Bashur 

  The Turkish army built a bridge over Haci Beg River and dispatched vehicles and ammunition to Southern Kurdistan in an effort to expand their invasion, escorted by KDP’s asayish forces.
• Two Kurdish tradesmen killed by Iranian forces in Sardasht 

  Iranian Law Enforcement Forces surrounded and killed two Kurdish tradesmen in the countryside of Sardasht on December 17 night.