Hope for Return: Iraq’s Displaced Kurds Following PKK Ceasefire Declaration
Iraq’s displaced Kurds express hope for returning home after the PKK declared a ceasefire in its long conflict with Turkey. Years of military offensives have led to significant displacement and destruction in northern Iraq, with many villages emptied of residents. Despite the optimism surrounding the ceasefire, concerns linger over its stability and the region’s fraught history with conflict.
Iraq’s displaced Kurdish population are expressing renewed hope for a return to their homes following a ceasefire announcement by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) against the Turkish government. This potential truce may stabilize a region that has incurred significant turmoil due to ongoing conflict. For many years, Turkey has conducted aggressive military operations in northern Iraq, targeting PKK fighters who have sought refuge in the Kurdish region, leading to the abandonment of numerous villages.
Adil Tahir Qadir, who fled his village in 1988 due to oppressive Iraqi regimes, has experienced displaced living conditions again since 2015 when Turkish forces intensified their military actions in the area. He cannot return to his original farmland, which has suffered severe agricultural destruction due to Turkish air strikes targeting PKK positions. Qadir hopes to return home if peace holds. “We wish it will work so we can return,” he said.
According to a 2020 report by the Iraqi Kurdish government, around 200 villages in the Amedi border area have been depopulated due to conflicts. The new Barchi village, where some displaced families have settled, remains largely untouched but is increasingly threatened by nearby military operations. Residents like Salih Shino express feelings of insecurity as bombings have disrupted their daily lives, making even routine activities perilous.
The recent hostilities in the region foster a tense living environment, as countless airstrikes have occurred around the villages, striking near essential facilities and livestock grazing areas. Najib Khalid Rashid described frequent bombardments that prevent farmers from accessing their lands, stating, “We can’t even take our sheep to graze or farm our lands in peace.”
Village residents generally abstain from commenting on Kurdish insurgent movements like the PKK due to their controversial designation as a terrorist group by Turkey and its allies. However, calls for unity among Kurdish factions to progress in peace efforts persist. Ahmad Saadullah reminisced about the region’s agricultural prosperity, contrasting it with the current reliance on government aid and unstable employment. Residents like Farooq Safar recount traumatic experiences from drone strikes and remain apprehensive about the ceasefire’s longevity, recalling historical failures in past peace initiatives. “We hope this time will be different,” he expressed.
The hopes of Iraq’s displaced Kurds are cautiously optimistic following the PKK’s declaration of a ceasefire. This situation reflects the dire circumstances they have faced due to years of conflict, which led to widespread displacement and destruction. While there is a yearning for peace and a return home, skepticism prevails given the troubled history of ceasefire agreements and ongoing violence in the region.
Original Source: apnews.com
