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Iran
- During the latest crackdowns of the Kurdish border porters known as Kolbar, the Iranian regime border guards shot and killed a Kurdish Kolbar near Piranshahr. According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Association, the Kurdish Kolbar is identified as Mahmud Katabi from Baneh married with one child. Kolbar labor has increased significantly in the Kurdish areas in the recent years due to unemployment and bad living conditions for the Kurdish population.
- After months of back and forth between prisons, the Iranian regime is preparing the execution of the Kurdish man Ramin Panahi. Despite international condemn of the unfair trial and amid serious allegations of torture, the Iranian regime will proceed with the execution of Panahi after charging him with being a member of a Kurdish party. On September 2, Panahi released a video message from prison thanking all the people of who supported him and it appeared that the regime allowed the release of his message as a farewell.
- On Sunday, September 2, the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attended the Islamic regime’s Parliament and responded to questions by lawmakers for several cases including the attendance of a funeral ceremony of the Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani last year. Two hard liner lawmakers Javad Karimi Ghoddousi and Nader Ghazipour summoned Zarif and questioned him about paying respect to Talabani while the flag of Kurdistan draped his coffin. In response, Zarif said: “The Supreme Council of National Security made the decision, at the highest level, about my attendance at the funeral ceremony of the late Jalal Talabani.” Zarif also said that his attendance was approved by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds forces (IRGC).
Iraq
- Despite plans to hold the Kurdistan Parliament elections on September 30, it’s unclear whether the process will take place due to the request of postponement by the majority of the Kurdish parties except for the Democratic Party of Kurdistan (KDP). During a meeting the deputy secretary of KDP Nechirvan Barzani, Barham Salih the head of the newly formed Coalition for Democracy and Justice (CDJ) announced boycotting the upcoming elections due to issues with the voters’ list and the electoral commission. Last week several meetings took place between the Kurdish parties to discuss the elections and the formation of the new Iraqi Government. As of Tuesday the largest Kurdish bloc at the Iraqi parliament was formed between the KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). The Kurdish bloc did not side with any major coalitions to form the next Iraqi cabinet due to disagreements over Kirkuk and the disputed territories. However, a Kurdish opposition party of the New Generation joined Iraq’s prime minister’s coalition. Further, the U.S. envoy to counter ISIS and the U.S. Ambassador have held several meetings with the Kurdish parties to convince them to join Abadi’s coalition against more anti-west coalition supported merely by Iran.
- A Russian delegation headed by Deputy Minister of Energy Pavel Sorokin and Deputy CEO for International Business Development of Gazprom Naft Viktor Simakov visited Kurdistan and held a meeting with KRG prime minister Nechirvan Barzani. According to a statement by the KRG, the Russian delegation “expressed appreciation for the cooperation and assistance provided to Russian companies” by the KRG and hoped for “the continuation and development of these relations and cooperation.”
- Sulaymaniyah public security known as Asayesh announced the arrest of an ISIS cell in the city. The Statement noted that the terror cell contains six men and one woman who had plans to conduct terrorist activities in Sulaymaniyah. In Kirkuk, ISIS terrorists attacked a village outside the city and killed 10 people. The ISIS attack took place in Yaychi. Another ISIS attack in Abasi District killed two police by a suicide terrorist. The security situation of Kirkuk Province has deteriorated since the Iraqi forces took over security of Kirkuk on October 16, 2017.
Syria
- After reports about the participation of the U.S. backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alongside the Syrian regime forces to liberate Idlib from Jihadi Groups, the Co-President of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) Ilham Ahmed denied SDF participation. Ahmed reaffirmed that the priority for the SDF is the liberation of Afrin. “The Kurdish Afrin city received large numbers of displaced Syrians fleeing the battles. Afrin used to be a secular and democratic city, and today it has been attacked by the Turkish occupation,” said Ahmed during a conference of Lawyers’ Union in Ramilan, Syria. Ahmed supported Syrian peace talks that are held with Syrians. She criticized the internationally sponsored talks like those in Geneva and Astana. “We believe that if the solution came from the Syrian society, it will be a valid solution. If it is imposed from outside, it will not serve the Syrian society, so we as Syrians are only capable of finding a political solution to the crisis. Unfortunately, the Syrian regime still believes that the Syrian crisis is not an internal crisis,” said Ahmed.
- In a series of kidnappings by Turkish backed Jihadi groups in Afrin, a video was released showing a Kurdish citizen been kidnapped by terrorists as he is asking his family to provide a ransom for his release. Since the Turkish military took over Afrin from the Kurds, several cases of kidnappings of Kurdish citizens have been reported by the Jihadi groups linked to al Qaeda and other extremist groups. In the city of Afrin a vehicle exploded, which resulted in civilian casualties amid no claims by any group. In Afrin, disputes between Jihadi factions resulted in infighting between Ahrar al Sharqiyyah Jihadis and squads of “Olive branch.” Both sides are backed by Turkey.
- A motor bike exploded in front of a mini market in Manbij city. The explosion injured two children. No claims for the terror attack.
Turkey
- In preparation for a new military campaign, the Turkish military imposed curfews on several Kurdish villages near Lice District in Diyarbakir Province (Amid). Meanwhile, Turkish helicopters bombarded Hazro District claiming crackdowns on members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
- The Turkish military has prevented ten lawmakers of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) to visit Dersim villages which are suffering from large forest fires. The HDP accused the government of burning forests of the Kurdish villages and then warning them to leave.
- The Turkish police raided the home of HDP executive of Aksu district in Antalya Gürgin Bilen. After searching his house the police detained Bilen.
- Last Tuesday the former HDP Co-President Selahattin Demirtas participated in another hearing via video conference call since he is banned to attend the hearing in person. Demirtas’ lawyers requested postponing the hearing after their demand for Demirtas to attend the hearing in person. As the Turkish government has 102 investigations and 34 filed cases against the Kurdish politician Demirtas, the latest hearing was addressing the charge of “leading a terrorist organization.”