Roadside bomb explodes in Duhok’s Amedi district

DUHOK — A roadside bomb detonated Monday on a rural road near Bamarne, a subdistrict of Amedi District in Duhok Governorate, causing no casualties, a local security source confirmed to 964media.

The explosion occurred near the village of Kanika, close to the Spina River. According to the source, while the blast damaged the road, “no human casualties were reported.”

In response, authorities temporarily closed the village road due to safety concerns and the potential presence of additional explosives. “We have initiated an investigation to determine who planted the bomb and what the intended target was,” the source added.

This is not the first incident of its kind, as the area remains impacted by ongoing clashes between Turkish forces and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK. On Oct. 26, 2024, a late-night explosion rocked the village of Meristek in Duhok’s Amedi district, causing material damage but no reported casualties. The blast, which echoed throughout the village, created panic among residents in this region frequently affected by the conflict.

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 Aug. 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.