Reconstruction of long-abandoned Sheladiz road begins, aiming to restore access to 84 villages

DUHOK — After more than three decades of abandonment due to ongoing conflicts between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, and Turkey, the road leading to nearly 100 deserted villages in the Sheladiz subdistrict of Duhok’s Amedi district is set to be reconstructed.

On Monday, Duhok Governor Ali Tatar laid the foundation for the reconstruction and paving of the Balinda Valley road, which had been impassable for years due to the conflict. The project aims to restore access to villages that were once thriving agricultural communities before residents were forced to flee.

“We are starting with a 14-kilometer section of the Balinda Valley road, which serves 84 villages, stretching from the Sida Bridge,” Sarbast Hussein, Mayor of Sheladiz, told 964media. “Additionally, a 15-kilometer extension connecting will also be reconstructed and paved.”

The project will also include the installation of electricity lines and street lighting to improve infrastructure and support the return of villagers as the conflict in the area has eased.

Funded with a budget of 24 billion and 175 million dinars (approximately $18 million), the reconstruction is expected to take 500 days to complete.

According to the Amedi District Administration, 358 villages are located within the district, with agriculture being the primary source of livelihood. Due to ongoing conflict, 201 of these villages have been abandoned, many of them situated along the Balinda Valley route. The completion of the road is expected to enable displaced residents to return and revive farming activities in the region.

The ongoing conflict between Turkey and the PKK has had a huge impact on northern Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, particularly in the mountainous regions of Duhok and Amedi. The PKK, a Kurdish militant group, has been in conflict with the Turkish government since the 1980s and uses the rugged Iraq-Turkey border terrain as a base for operations. In response, Turkey has conducted frequent military strikes in these areas, targeting PKK positions.