Secretary of Duhok Council… PKK facilitates and prepares the Turkish military intervention

The secretary of the Duhok Provincial Council Wednesday stated that the presence of PKK militants and headquarters in the border areas of the governorate creates arguments and pretexts for Turkey to invade and bomb these areas, stressing that the PKK facilitates and prepares for Turkish military intervention.

Rizgar Sidqi told (BasNews) that "PKK has strained the atmosphere of the entire border areas, especially the strategic ones, such as Zinari Kesta, and caused its instability and gives Turkey arguments and excuses to bomb and invade these areas within the province of Duhok."

The Zinari Kesta area is considered a strategic location, as it is in the middle of a large area that includes more than 50 villages, many of which have been evacuated before now due to the conflict between PKK militants and Turkish forces.

Sidqi continued by saying that "the residents of these areas have been severely affected by the presence of this party in their areas, in which dozens of villages have been evacuated as a result of the fighting and bombing," calling on the PKK to leave the area and to stop creating excuses for the Turkish invasion.
The presence of PKK sites and headquarters in Kani Masi sub-district of Amedi district (70 km north of Duhok governorate) caused violent confrontations and aerial bombardment by the Turkish air force, which caused great damage to the fields and farms of citizens, and the displacement of residents of many villages in the area.

Turkey launched the "Lightning" and "Thunderbolt" claw operations, at dawn on April 23, simultaneously, against alleged PKK sites in the areas of Matina, Ava Shin-Basian, and Mount Kesta in the Kurdistan Region, which caused great damage to the area's farms and orchards.

It is noteworthy that the PKK, classified on the American and European terrorist regulations, takes from the Qandil Mountains and the rugged border areas within the Kurdistan Region, its stronghold, and its militants operate in those areas and launch attacks on the Turkish interior as well as impose taxes and royalties on the residents of the region, and caused the evacuation of hundreds of the border villages within the region also have residents and obstruct the delivery of services to dozens of others.

The Kurdistan Regional Government often calls for the PKK to evacuate the border areas in which it is present, to avoid exposing the population and villagers to bombing, but to no avail.

Source: BasNews translated from Arabic

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