Kurds are considered potential suspects throughout Turkey; in border areas, Kurdish civilians are virtually fair game for Turkish soldiers. In Derecik on the border with Iraq, a shepherd has again been seriously injured by gunfire.
In the district of Derecik in Hakkari province, yet another civilian was shot by Turkish soldiers. 18-year-old Mehmet Dinç was herding sheep when he was shot in the leg. He was hospitalized with injuries.
In the same area, Şahap Şendol (23) and Celil Ekinci (17) were seriously injured by shots fired by Turkish soldiers on May 18. Şendol had to have two fingers amputated, and 17-year-old Celil Ekinci was shot in the back and has undergone three operations so far.
Derecik is a widely militarized area. A military garrison in the district on the border with Iraq also serves as a base for Turkish-backed mercenaries from Syria, who are being deployed in the current invasion of southern Kurdistan. The militiamen of the SNA (Syrian National Army) are partially withdrawn from Libya for this purpose.
The Turkish army's sphere of influence extends far beyond Turkey's national territory. In June 2019, the KDP in South Kurdistan had handed over the region along the border near Şemdinli and Derecik to the Turkish state. The area extends to Mergesor, Soran and Choman. In particular, the hills from which the region can be monitored were handed over to the Turkish army by the KDP peshmerga. This handover cleared the way for Turkey to invade the Xinere guerrilla area at that time.
