The Turkish Armed Forces have launched a new military offensive in Iraqi Kurdistan, deploying up to 300 military tanks, and for the past ten days, Turkish troops have been active on the ground in Barbary Balla, advancing into multiple villages in the region, the Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT) reports.
Soldiers have been observed moving through the villages of Kesta, Aradna, Chalke, Babire, Ura, and Sararo in the Kani Mase sub-district.
Kamran Osman, a member of the Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT) in Iraqi Kurdistan, reported that approximately 1,000 Turkish soldiers have been moving between the military headquarters at Gre Barukh and Mount Matina, behind the Bamerni district, within three days.
He also noted the establishment of a checkpoint between the villages of Babire and Kani Balave since early June.
Civilians passing through this area have their Iraqi identity cards confiscated for verification and are allowed to proceed only after their identities are checked.
CPT-Iraqi Kurdistan spoke with local residents, who expressed their concerns about the presence of soldiers in their villages.
The chieftain of Kesta shared, “We are all afraid of the new escalations in our area. Kids can’t sleep. Due to the fear of military clashes inside the village, most of us have sold our animals and given up on the agricultural lands. We want to live in peace.”
CPT condemned the ongoing Turkish military operations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), which have resulted in over 700 civilian casualties.
