Turkey depopulates Kandil
Turkey depopulates Kandil
Turkey launched fresh air strike on Northern Iraq last week. While the Turkish officials stated that fighter planes attacked positions held by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and no civilians have been hit the targeted Kandil regions like Mergehewþe, Komasor and Lolan areas are inhabited by civilians. There area is a popular destination for semi-nomadic tribes who spend the summer in tents with their livestock and honeybees.
Moreover, in the attack while one civilian was injured dozens of cattle were perished, bridges and cemeteries were destroyed. The locals state that the Turkish army is deliberately targeting civilians because they want to depopulate Kandil.
Nezire Muhammed Resul, a villager whose two vehicles have been destroyed in the Turkish air attacks stated: “It was 3 am when we heard the planes. The children were all terrified and crying. The planes bombed us for two hours. My two cars were completely destroyed. All nomadic tribes packed their stuff and went down to safe places. Although we were not injured we are appalled.”
She further stated that they live in fear that Turkish planes might come any time and bombard their village again. “Turkish state is ruthless. They are hostile to all the Kurds, does not matter in Turkey of in Iraq. Furthermore, they do not distinguish the civilians and the guerrillas, hitting indiscriminately. The only thing that we can do is to escape.” added Nezire Muhammed Resul.
Another villager Esmer Temo stated that: “We are twelve in the household and they live on husbandry, we are shepherd herding our livestock. The Turks are lying when they say they target guerrillas. Where the guerrillas live is far from here. We live in tents, we have hundreds of livestock. Guerrillas do not live under tents, they don’t herd sheep. How come they can confuse us with guerrillas? They are bombing us on purpose so that we will leave our land. What the Turks want to do is to depopulate Kandil gradually.
Another villager called Hanife whose van was destroyed in an Iranian attack in Kendakola region stated that they live on husbandry and they need highlands otherwise their livestock will starve to dead in the villages.
Another transhuman Þevket explained that attacks: “We are a semi-nomadic tribe. We live on transhumance. Twelve days after we went to uplands in Mergehewþe region the Turks attacked us. We had to leave. The area where Þükrü Cercis’s family was staying was hit in the attack. There were around 150 families, 400 people. We even could not pack properly. The planes sorties six seven times over us and fired more than 10 shells. If they could hit us it would be massacre. Two vehicles were totally destroyed and a villager Tofiq Abdullah was injured, shrapnel hit him in the head. The bridge providing the only passage was also hit.”
Moreover, in the attack while one civilian was injured dozens of cattle were perished, bridges and cemeteries were destroyed. The locals state that the Turkish army is deliberately targeting civilians because they want to depopulate Kandil.
Nezire Muhammed Resul, a villager whose two vehicles have been destroyed in the Turkish air attacks stated: “It was 3 am when we heard the planes. The children were all terrified and crying. The planes bombed us for two hours. My two cars were completely destroyed. All nomadic tribes packed their stuff and went down to safe places. Although we were not injured we are appalled.”
She further stated that they live in fear that Turkish planes might come any time and bombard their village again. “Turkish state is ruthless. They are hostile to all the Kurds, does not matter in Turkey of in Iraq. Furthermore, they do not distinguish the civilians and the guerrillas, hitting indiscriminately. The only thing that we can do is to escape.” added Nezire Muhammed Resul.
Another villager Esmer Temo stated that: “We are twelve in the household and they live on husbandry, we are shepherd herding our livestock. The Turks are lying when they say they target guerrillas. Where the guerrillas live is far from here. We live in tents, we have hundreds of livestock. Guerrillas do not live under tents, they don’t herd sheep. How come they can confuse us with guerrillas? They are bombing us on purpose so that we will leave our land. What the Turks want to do is to depopulate Kandil gradually.
Another villager called Hanife whose van was destroyed in an Iranian attack in Kendakola region stated that they live on husbandry and they need highlands otherwise their livestock will starve to dead in the villages.
Another transhuman Þevket explained that attacks: “We are a semi-nomadic tribe. We live on transhumance. Twelve days after we went to uplands in Mergehewþe region the Turks attacked us. We had to leave. The area where Þükrü Cercis’s family was staying was hit in the attack. There were around 150 families, 400 people. We even could not pack properly. The planes sorties six seven times over us and fired more than 10 shells. If they could hit us it would be massacre. Two vehicles were totally destroyed and a villager Tofiq Abdullah was injured, shrapnel hit him in the head. The bridge providing the only passage was also hit.”
