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Iran
- The Iranian regime agreed with the Turkish government’s proposal to build a wall on the border of Iran and Turkey. During a press conference, Behram Qasimi, a spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said “we will welcome every step that will increase security and stability at the border,” adding that “border security is of importance for both Iran and Turkey.” The Turkish and Iranian governments want to construct the wall to stifle the cross-border movements and activities of Kurdish rebel groups in the area.
Iraq
- A founding member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and main founder of the Change Party (Gorran), Mr. Nawshirwan Mustafa (73), passed away on May 19 after a year-long battle with an unspecified illness. Hundreds of thousands of people attended his funeral, including various Kurdish and Iraqi political leaders. After Mustafa’s passing, the Change Party thanked the Kurdish people for their condolences and called on the party’s supporters to continue Nawshirwan Mustafa’s legacy. Mr. Nawshirwan Mustafa was born in Sulaymaniyah in 1944.
- Peshmerga forces repelled an attack by ISIS at the frontlines in Tuz district south of Kirkuk. Following the attack, Peshmerga forces announced the death of seven ISIS terrorists. ISIS simultaneously attacked Peshmerga forces and Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) who are based in Tuz.
Syria
- As phase four of “Wrath of Euphrates,” the campaign to liberate Raqqa from ISIS, continues, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) advanced and retook al-Salhabiyah district. The SDF now stand four miles away from the city of Raqqa. During recent clashes, the SDF seized a drone and several snipers. The SDF also announced the death of 31 ISIS terrorists. In the recently-liberated town of al-Tabqa, the SDF continues to sweep for and defuse mines and booby-traps left by ISIS. In Afrin, the local administration received more than four thousand internally displaced people (IDP) from Azaz, Marea, and Jarablus — the IDPs fled these areas to escape the heavy-handed policies of Turkish-backed groups who now control these localities, according to media reports.
Turkey
- The personal guards of Turkey’s President Recep Tayipp Erdogan attacked a group of peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C. About a dozen Kurdish and Armenian Americans gathered outside the Turkish ambassador to the United States’ residence at Sheridan Circle to protest Erdogan’s visit to the United States. After Erdogan’s guards attacked the crowd, eight people were injured, including two women. The injured protestors were immediately transferred to George Washington hospital to receive treatment. In reaction to the violence, several U.S. senators and representatives denounced Erdogan and his guards’ actions. Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) called for the expulsion of the Turkish Ambassador to the U.S, saying “we should throw their ambassador the hell out of the United States.” Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) condemned the actions, asking “who gave this order?” and adding that “there must be consequences for outrageous attack by the Turkish President’s bodyguards in DC.” A number of other U.S. lawmakers condemned the attacks including, but not limited to: Senators Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and Representatives Ed Royce (R-Calif.), Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), and Don Beyer (D-Va.). On May 20, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also described the attacks as “unacceptable.” Reports from multiple media outlets suggest that Erdogan personally ordered the attacks and then, from a distance, watched the violence, according to a recent video that captured the event.
- During the 3rd Extraordinary Congress of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP), a new new co-chair was elected to replace the former co-chair, Figen Yuksekdag, after she was stripped of her parliamentarian status by the Turkish government. The other jailed co-chair, Selahaddin Demirtash, was reelected in the HDP congress. Currently, there remain 11 HDP deputies imprisoned and awaiting trial, after being accused by the Turkish government of supporting “terror organizations.” Meanwhile, more than 80 elected mayors and Kurdish officials also remain jailed on similar charges.