Blocked from entering homes
Turkish military restricts access to three villages in Zakho, CPT says
ZAKHO — Turkish military forces in the Zakho Autonomous Administration in Duhok province are restricting access to three villages, preventing residents from freely traveling to and from their homes, according to Community Peacemaker Teams-Iraqi Kurdistan.
The villages affected by the restrictions include Nzdur, Sule, and Ekmala, with residents only allowed to visit their homes during specific hours set by the Turkish military. Kamaran Osman, the coordinator for CPT in Kurdistan, confirmed the restrictions, saying, “The reasons behind the ban remain unclear, but the Turkish military has set specific times for residents to visit their villages.”
The restrictions are part of Turkey’s ongoing military operations in Duhok governorate, which Turkey claims are targeting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, an armed Kurdish group engaged in a decades-long conflict with the Turkish government. Osman explained that villagers are allowed to visit their homes between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., after which they are not permitted to enter the area.
Though these villages have been largely abandoned due to the recent Turkish military incursion, local residents continue to return for agricultural work.
In the nearby Amedi district, the security situation has calmed in recent days, which Osman attributed to a reduction in attacks. He noted that Turkish forces are building concrete military bases and roads for their soldiers.
A report by CPT, released on August 14, revealed that since 1991, Turkish and Iranian military operations have resulted in the deaths of 425 civilians and injuries to 420 others in the Kurdistan Region. Over 83% of these incidents have been attributed to Turkish military actions.
Between 2018 and 2024, escalating Turkish military campaigns have significantly affected civilian life in the region, with Turkish forces advancing 15 kilometers further into Kurdistan by the summer of 2024. In some areas, Turkish forces have penetrated as much as 30 to 35 kilometers into Kurdish territory, leading to the evacuation of multiple villages.