Suspected Turkish airstrikes ignite wildfire in Sulaymaniyah

SULAYMANIYAH — Airstrikes in the early hours of Tuesday ignited a large wildfire in the border areas of Galala and Qamish villages within the Sharbazher district of Sulaymaniyah province, prompting urgent calls from local residents for assistance in firefighting efforts.

Ali Saleh, a member of the Galala village council, reported that four airstrikes around 7 a.m. targeted the area, causing a significant fire in the mountainous regions of Barzoot and Birani. “The strikes have caused a large fire in the mountains of the Barzoot and Birani areas,” Saleh said.

The fire has since spread across the difficult terrain, complicating containment efforts. “We urge residents to come and assist in extinguishing the fire, as it is in a difficult location and extinguishing it is proving to be quite challenging,” Saleh added.

The airstrikes are part of a broader series of Turkish military operations in the Kurdistan Region, aimed at the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, known by its Kurdish initialism PKK. Turkey has escalated its military activities in the region, including parts of the Amedi district in Duhok province, citing PKK presence. These operations have led to numerous casualties and significant environmental degradation in the area’s rural and mountainous locales.

A report from the American human rights organization Community Peacemaker Teams – Iraqi Kurdistan dated Aug. 14 details the impact of military actions by Turkey and Iran in the region since 1991. According to the report, 425 civilians have died and another 420 have been injured in the Kurdistan Region due to these conflicts, with Turkish operations accounting for the majority of these casualties. “Many of the casualties were going about their daily routines near the border, while some were killed or injured inside their homes among family members,” the CPT report states.