Turkish army is constructing a new military road in Barwari Bala. Photo: submitted to 964media
Road to connect Turkish bases throughout region
Turkish military constructs new military road and quarry in Duhok’s Barwari Bala
BARWARI – The Turkish military is currently developing a 9-kilometer (about 5.6 miles) military road, alongside a new quarry for extracting rock, in Duhok’s Barwari Bala region.
This project, reported to 964media by Kamran Mala Osman, a member of the American Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT) actively working in the area, began construction in Jan. near the village of Kesta.
Kesta is part of the Kani Masi sub-district, situated within the Amedi district.
The quarry aims to mine limestone, rock, and other materials from the surrounding hills, including Mala Rde and Kafre Sor, to use in constructing the military road.
This road will serve as a crucial link between all Turkish military bases and outposts in the Kani Masi sub-district, eventually connecting to other military roads in the Batifa district and extending to the Haftanin area in the Zaxo district, reaching as far as the Hakkari governorate in Northern Kurdistan, according to Osman.
Turkey initiated “Operation Claw-Lightning,” in April 2021, during which it established four military bases in the rural areas of Kani Masi in just a week. Over the past three years, Turkey has relied on helicopters for supplying these outposts. However, the new road is expected to negate the need for such air transport, facilitating easier movement of supplies and troops.
The Turkish military’s operations in the wider Duhok region are part of its ongoing campaign against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The PKK, a Kurdish militant group, has been engaged in a decades-long armed struggle against the Turkish state for greater autonomy or independence for Kurds. Turkey designates the PKK as a terrorist organization and has extended its military efforts into neighboring Iraq, to counter PKK activities and secure its borders.
These operations aim to disrupt PKK bases, restrict their mobility, and eliminate their logistical capabilities within the region.
Osman expressed concerns that the construction of these military roads complicates the potential for these areas to be returned to the boundaries of the Kurdistan Region.
Since late 2017 through mid-2022, the Turkish military has constructed over 64 military bases and outposts. The Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT), an international organization with a presence in several countries, including the Kurdistan Region, is dedicated to documenting attacks by Turkey and Iran on the territory. Over 100 civilians have died in Turkish strikes in recent years.