People of Qandil stated that massacring women, men, children and old people had no place in Islam, recalling that at least 40 civilians were killed in Kendakol in 2002 and 8 innocent people were massacred in Zergêle recently.

Below are the responses Qandil residents gave to ANF regarding Zergêle massacre:

Abdullah Kerim: Warplanes fly over and bomb us day and night. We have been killed over and over again for the past 20 years. Allah would not accept this. Four parts of Kurdistan should unite and rise up. Does massacring innocent women, children and old people have any place in Islam? Turkey has no right to come to our lands and bomb us. We demand from Turkey, Iran and Arab people to respect our rights. There is one Kurdistan and KDP, YNK, PKK and Kurdish parties in Iran should unite and struggle against our enemies.

Benaz Eli: They have no right to massacre innocent civilians with warplanes. We are scared of being bombed and we can no longer stay in our houses. Would Allah accept the martyrdom of a pregnant woman? Of course not.

Beşir Eli: We ask Kurdistan Regional Government President Masoud Barzani to condemn Turkey’s attacks. They martyred at least 40 civilians in Kendakol in 2002, now they massacred 8 innocent people in Qandil. The attacks are shameful and we condemn them. If Kurdistan Regional Government describes itself as Kurdish, it should prevent such attacks. We ask YNK, KDP, Goran and PKK to come together and stand up against such attacks.

Beyan Haci Sleman: We have not had peace, warplanes are bombing us every day. There is not a single area here that has not been bombed. What was the crime of the children, women, and old and young people massacred here? Nobody helps us or ask how we are doing? Where in the world do innocent people and children get murdered? What was their crime? The enemy could not act like this if we united. External forces could not mess with us if Kurds united. However, we Kurdish people are still divided.

A Kurdish mother: We ask Kurdish people to come together and stop these attacks. Allah would not accept this brutality.

Eli Saleh Hesen: Is it fair that we get bombed every day? We are Kurdish and we demand our rights. Any Kurd with a conscience, no matter where she or he lives, should not accept this situation. How long will we have to live like this?

Esed Eli: We condemn these attacks and ask the regional government to prevent such attacks through diplomacy. According to Islam, the murder of one innocent civilian is the murder of entire humanity. These attacks have no place in Islam. All Kurds should rise up and condemn the attacks. We have not been able to sleep for several days now.

İdris Reşid: We condemn the Turkish state’s attack. Guerillas are also our Kurdish citizens and they are fighting for us. We strongly condemn attacks targeting the guerillas. We ask Kurdistan Regional Government to oppose the attacks. We cannot handle what we went through, warplanes fly over us everyday. They destroyed our villages and gardens. Out of fear, our children cannot sleep at night.

Kerim Xan: We condemn the Turkish state. We ask Kurds to unite and condemn the attacks.

Kubar: We can no longer accept the Turkish state’s attacks on us in our own soil. We have no peace or life. Be it day or night, we cannot enter our houses. We run outdoors as soon as we hear a sound.

Mele Zübeyr Ehmed: We see many Turkish politicians defending human rights as they travel around the world. But the same people bomb us and destroy our houses. What right do they have to bomb innocent civilians? We condemn them. The massacre of innocent civilians and animals as well as the evacuation of villages has no place in international law. Why do Kurdish leaders not take a clear stance against Turkey’s brutality, and bring the state to account for its bombardments?

Nim Cewher: Allah would not accept the Turkish state’s bombardment of our people. One must have conscience and honor. Conscience would not accept the killing of children with warplanes. Nobody should accept this.

Reşid Herki: Our children cannot sleep, we do not have a normal life. We do not accept the enemy’s bombardment of us with warplanes every day.

Şakir Xelil Beyazid: We ask Kurdistan Regional Government to stop this war. We condemn the Turkish state for its attack on our land. Zergêle village is officially part of Rawandiz, not Qandil. The regional government should condemn the attacks of the Turkish state.

Şükri Şex Zade: We want Kurdistan Regional Government to take a stance against the attacks. All of the families that were bombed in Zergêle died. If things continue like this, tomorrow may be worse than today. Kurdistan Regional Government should no longer stay silent.