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Iran
- On Thursday, a number of Kurdish teachers in Kermanshah province held a strike for unpaid salaries by the Iranian government. Tens of teachers also protested in front of the education department demanding their payments. In Marivan, following several strikes held by the municipality workers, the government continues to withhold salaries, which started 6 months ago. Due to deteriorating living conditions in the country especially in the Kurdish region, in the past year, Iran faced more strikes by workers and teachers for unpaid wages and poor living conditions.
- Two Kurdish men were arrested by the Iranian intelligence officers (Ettelaat) in the Hawraman region. According to Kurdistan Human Rights Association (KMMK) the Kurdish men are identified as Aram Awdain and Burhan Awdian from Saleen village and were taken to an undisclosed location. No cause for thier arrest has been reported.
- After the dramatic increase among the casualties of the border porters (Kolbars) by the Iranian border guards in 2018, last week another four Kolbars were targeted. Hengaw human rights organization reported the injury of three of the four Kolbars (one severely) who were shot at by the border guards near Baneh on Sunday. On Saturday, in Sardasht another Kolbar was wounded due to direct shots by Iranian guards. Additionally, two Kolbars were announced dead after suffering from freezing conditions near Salmas, Urmia and the other one drowned in Nokan river by Sardasht.
Iraq
- After weeks of talks between the Kurdish parties to form the government, on Monday a senior delegation from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) headed by Kosrat Rasul visited the Democratic Party of Kurdistan (KDP). The KDP delegation included the current Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister-elect. A press conference after the meeting talked about the creation of a committee of both parties to address the issues. The PUK demands to reach an agreement with KDP in regards to all the issues as a “one package” which includes the governorship of Kirkuk, the share of the Kurdish position in the federal government, and the formation of the government of Kurdistan region. On Tuesday, KDP held a meeting with the Change party (Gorran) which won third place in the recent elections.
- After visiting Baghdad, the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited the Kurdistan region and held meetings with Kurdish officials including the former President of Kurdistan Masoud Barzani. “Secretary emphasized strong U.S. support for continued dialogue between the KRG and the central government in Baghdad,” said a statement by the Department of State. On January 14, the French Foreign Affairs Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian also arrived in Kurdistan after visiting Baghdad.
- In Kirkuk, on January 8, the PUK headquarters raised the flag of Kurdistan at their branch offices in the city after a ban by the security forces since October 16, 2017. The PUK’s decision faced rejection by Kirkuk’s Arab acting Governor and the Turkmen parties. The Iraqi Prime Minister’s media office announced that the issue can be decided on by Iraq’s Supreme Court. On Wednesday the PUK lowered the flags at its branch offices but kept it at its main headquarters in Kirkuk.
- After the ban on international flights at Sulaymaniyah airport, which was imposed by the Turkish government for more than six months, the head of the airport announced that flights would resume starting January 24. Turkish airlines will resume direct flights to Sulaymaniyah as well as European flights using the Turkish airspace after they were denied access. Turkey had accused the PUK of aiding the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which led to the ban.
Syria
- Clashes continued between the U.S. backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and ISIS terrorists by the last stronghold of ISIS east of Euphrates. On January 10, after days of intense fighting, the SDF were able to gain advances by Shafa town. The SDF published footage of seizing ISIS weapons. On January 11, about 400 civilians escaped the ISIS-controlled area near Hajin city and reached SDF areas. The SDF also announced the capture of four terrorists from Russia, Turkey, and Afghanistan near Raqqa. According to the statement by the SDF, the ISIS cell was planning to launch attacks in Raqqa and Tabqa towns.
- On January 13 President Trump stated: “[The U.S.] Will devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds.” He also mentioned a 20-mile safe zone which will include 60% of the Kurdish region of Syria. On January 14, President Trump spoke to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The White House said: “The president expressed the desire to work together to address Turkey’s security concerns in northeast Syria while stressing the importance to the United States that Turkey does not mistreat the Kurds and other Syrian Democratic Forces with whom we have fought to defeat ISIS.” Meanwhile, during his trip to the Middle East Secretary Pompeo said: “Everyone must know that the Syrian Kurds are not terrorists and that America is working to find a political path in Syria that enables the displaced people to return to their homes.” The spokesperson of Erdogan said that Turkey does not need any ”permission” to launch a military offensive against the Kurds. The Syrian Kurds have not commented on the safe zone tweet. As the U.S. troops started the process of withdrawing from Syria, the Kurdish commander of the People’s Defense Units (YPG) released a statement reassuring the non-Kurdish elements of the SDF to have a role in future talks with the Syrian regime.
- In support of the Turkish plans to invade the Kurdish region in Syria, the head of Al Qaeda branch in Syria (Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham) Abu Mohammad al-Julani expressed his support for Turkey and described the Kurds as the PKK. al-Julani is a wanted terrorist by the U.S. government with 10 million USD bounty for information leading to him.
- Due to harsh living conditions of the Syrian Internally Displaced People (IDP) fleeing from ISIS, the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) released a statement demanding the international aid organizations to help the IDP camps. “We call on the international community, humanitarian organizations and the capable countries and individuals who care for humanity and their Syrian people to contribute to the protection of Syrian refugees from the scourges of injustice, oppression, homelessness, hunger and cold,” said a statement by the SDC.
Turkey
- The Pro-Kurdish alliance headed by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) announced the names of candidates for 41 cities for Turkey local elections in March. The HDP co-chair described the upcoming election as a new process and praised the HDP by saying, “Turkish revolutionary movement and the Kurdish Freedom Movement met around a new paradigm combining the two.” Since December the Turkish government has cracked down on the members of the HDP in attempts to seize their voice and win the Kurdish cities by force.
- After a wide range of hunger strikes and more than 700 petitions to visit the imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan, the Turkish government allowed Ocalan’s brother to visit him in prison on January 12. Ocalan was last visited by his family member two years ago. He is isolated from visits by his lawyers. Meanwhile, the Kurdish parties in Turkey called for the lift of Ocalan’s isolation. In the city of Batman, the police attacked members of HDP and arrested several when they held a protest against the Government’s isolation of Ocalan.