Shell Injures Peshmerga Driver Near Border in Duhok Governorate
Origin unknown
Shell injures Peshmerga soldier near border in Duhok governorate’s Batifa district
DUHOK — A Peshmerga soldier was injured Tuesday when a shell landed near his vehicle in the Batifa district of Duhok governorate, officials said. The blast occurred around noon in the village of Zreza, scattering shrapnel that wounded the driver and damaged the car.
“A shell landed near the car of a Peshmerga soldier, causing injuries to the driver from shrapnel. We do not yet know the origin of the shell,” said Batifa Mayor Farhad Mahmoud, speaking to 964media. He added that debris from the explosion damaged the vehicle.
A resident of the nearby village of Demka reported that another shell landed near a house, alarming residents.
Batifa has been unstable due to ongoing clashes between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party–or PKK–and the Turkish military. Just days ago, two Iraqi border guards were killed in the same region, further heightening tensions.
Duhok Governorate—especially the Zakho and Amedi areas—has been heavily impacted by the decades-long conflict between Turkey and the PKK. Turkish forces, targeting PKK fighters, have advanced up to 15 kilometers into Iraqi territory in recent years, leading to civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.
On Jan. 2, 2025, artillery struck the Amedi-Sile Road, damaging water pipelines serving about 20 homes. In December 2024, a roadside bomb exploded near Bamarne in Amedi District, causing no injuries. Two months earlier, an explosion in the village of Meristek damaged property but left residents unharmed.
A report released on Aug. 14, 2024, by CPT found that Turkish and Iranian military operations have killed 425 civilians and wounded 420 in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq since 1991, with Turkey responsible for more than 83% of those documented incidents.