Heavy fighting

Explosion rocks Meristek village as ongoing Turkish-PKK conflict intensifies

DUHOK — An explosion shook the village of Meristek in Duhok’s Amedi district late Friday night, causing material damage but no reported casualties. Meristek, located in a region frequently affected by clashes between the Turkish military and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, was left rattled by the blast, which was heard across the village and caused panic among residents.

“Last night, we heard a very loud noise. When we went outside, we realized that an explosion had occurred on the main road at the entrance of Meristek,” Mohammed, a resident, told 964media.

While no injuries were reported, the explosion damaged the walls of the village mosque and several homes. A video shared with 964media shows villagers in shock, surveying the damage in the immediate aftermath.

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Meristek, home to about 100 households, has been deeply affected by the Turkish-PKK conflict. In a previous incident on June 8, 2024, six homes in the village were reportedly struck by shells during clashes between Turkish forces and the PKK, though there were no casualties.

The Turkish military regularly conducts air and ground operations against PKK positions in Iraq’s Kurdistan region and the Sinjar mountains as part of its decades-long conflict with the PKK. From 2018 to 2024, Turkey’s intensified operations have forced the evacuation of many villages, with incursions reaching up to 35 kilometers into Kurdistan.

A report by the Community Peacemaker Teams, released on August 14, highlighted the toll of these operations, noting that Turkish and Iranian military activities in the Kurdistan Region have led to the deaths of 425 civilians and injuries to 420 others since 1991, with over 83% of incidents attributed to Turkey.