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Iran
- The Iranian regime bombarded the bordering villages of the Kurdistan region with heavy artillery. The Iranian attacks resulted in injury of one woman and three members of the Iranian Kurdish opposition parties based in Haji Oamaran district. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have condemned the shellings and called upon the Iranian regime to stop the attacks. Separately, the Iranian regime have cut the water flow of the “Little Zab River” to the Kurdistan region that feeds a large area of farmland in Qaladiza district north of Sulaymaniyah.
Iraq
- The United States Ambassador to Iraq Douglas Silliman visited the Kurdistan region and met its president Massud Barzani. “President Barzani and Ambassador Silliman discussed the latest developments of the Mosul operation. The President emphasized on what he referred to as ‘the day after’ and the importance of planning for post-liberation, which he stated is of great significance. Ambassador Silliman commended the Peshmerga and Iraqi forces for their collective roles in liberating the city of Mosul and paid his condolences to the families and loved ones of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the ongoing war against the terrorists of the Islamic State,” read a statement by the Kurdistan Presidency. The U.S. Ambassador also visited Kirkuk city and held a meeting with its governor Najmaldin Karim.
- On June 29, a mass rally took place in Sulaymaniyah Province to commemorate the farewell of Mr. Nawshirwan Mustafa, the leader of Gorran (Change party). The “40 days farewell” ceremony included planting trees and releasing hundreds of doves. Thousands of people visited the grave of Mustafa at the end of the ceremony.
- The Peshmerga forces have repelled ISIS attacks in Tuz countryside, south of Kirkuk city. ISIS terrorists have launched 12 attacks in the past two months in attempts to open a corridor between their strong hold Hawija district and Diyala province via Zerga valley.
Syria
- After moving heavy weapons and military equipment to Syria, the Turkish military launched attacks on the Kurdish city of Afrin west of Syria. On July 3, the mortar attacks on Afrin killed three civilians in one family and wounded six more. The shelling targeted Sherwa district villages’ in Afrin. In the countryside of Aleppo (Shahba) six civilians died in Kaferanton village near Mengah. In Azaz city north of Aleppo, the Turkish-backed armed groups raised the Turkish flag in the town. Turkey repeatedly has threatened the Kurdish forces to launch attacks on the Kurdish city in Afrin. The Kurdish People’s Defense Units (YPG) announced that Turkish military and Islamic groups have launched 102 attacks.
- As the liberation campaign of Raqqa continues, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) entered the old city of Raqqa. Since the start of the final phase of “Wrath of Euphrates” in June, the SDF were able to liberate 9 neighborhoods in addition to the Hercules Historical Citadel and a Sugar Factory. Last week, the SDF foiled an attack by ISIS in an attempt to break the siege imposed on them by the SDF. According to a statement by the YPG, which is part of SDF, 542 ISIS terrorists were killed and/or captured since the start of the Raqqa liberation campaign on June 9.
Turkey
- The Turkish government has sentenced another Kurdish lawmaker of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) to prison for a year and two months. Ahmet Yıldırım who represents Mush city was accused of “insulting the President” in a speech he gave in September 2015. He was detained on January 25, 2017. Separately, a Kurdish journalist, İsmail Eskin, was sentenced to 3 years and 45 days for “spreading propaganda for a terrorist organisation” due to his use of his Twitter account where he posted about violations committed by the government during the curfews in Kurdish cities. The Turkish police also raided several Kurdish villages in Ercish District of Van city resulting in arrests of 35 people including municipal council members.
- The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) gave the Turkish government until October 20, 2017 to present a defense in the case of arresting Pro-Kurdish lawmakers of HDP. In February, 2017 the HDP filed an official case to ECHR against Turkey’s Government for jailing its elected lawmakers. In addition to the imprisonment of 12 HDP lawmakers, the Turkish government is still holding thousands of politicians, journalists, and elected Kurdish government officials in an operation known as “Turkey’s Purge“.