Villagers in Dersim forced to leave home amid aerial bombardments

The Turkish state continues with its genocidal attacks and has evacuated a village in the coutryside of Dersim province.

The Turkish army is conducting an aerial bombardment as part of the military operation ongoing near the Uzuntarla (Han) village in Dersim's Nazımiye district. The villagers who had to leave their houses due to the bombardment are not allowed to turn back home.

The airstikes by Cobra type helicopters target the village and surroundings, which consequently forced the inhabitants to leave the village and take shelter in the Kırmızı Köprü (Red Bridge) area of Pülümür district yesterday.

After spending the night here, the locals headed back to the village today but were obstructed by Turkish soldiers on grounds of “security”. A villager by the name of Mustafa Uçan has been taken into custody as he insisted to go his home despite the obstruction, and he was taken to Dersim city center.

Around 15 villagers therewith went to Dersim and applied to Dersim Bar Association for help.

In the meantime, Turkish security forces detained 8 people during house raids conducted in Dersim and its Hozat and Çemişgezek districts early Thursday morning. One of the detainees by the name of Devrim Korkmaz has been released on condition of probation after giving a statement at the courthouse.