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A weekly brief of events that occurred in the Kurdish regions of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.
Iran
- The Islamic Revolutionary court of Piranshar sentenced three Kurdish youth to prison for “attempts to disrupt the national security” and connection to Kurdish parties. The sentences varied between a year, eight months, and five months. In Ilam, the Islamic court is also prosecuting a Kurdish poet for “insulting the holy figures.” According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Association (KMMK), the lawyer of the poet Zhakan Baran denied the prosecutor’s accusations. On Wednesday in a village of Urmia, the Iranian revolutionary guards arrested a Kurdish Imam after delivering a speech about the history of the Sunni sect and criticizing the Iranian regime. The Kurds in Iran form the largest group in Iran for political imprisonment.
- The protest movements continue in Iran against the unpaid salaries by the regime. On Saturday a group of municipality workers of Kermanshah city protested in front of the municipal building. The gathering of workers demanded their unpaid wages for the past three months and eight months of unpaid overtime.
- Last week, more Kurdish border porters (Kolbars) were targeted by the Iranian border guards. On Tuesday, February 5, one Kolbar was injured by the Iranian border guards between Baneh and the border of Iraqi Kurdistan. On Friday, also near Baneh, the Iranian guards ambushed a group of Kolbars leaving one injured severely. On Friday near Sardasht, another Kolbar was wounded by two bullets from the Iranian guards while carrying goods.
Iraq
- After reaching agreements between the parties, the Kurdistan Parliament is set to hold a meeting on Monday, February 18, and elect the Speaker and two Deputy Speakers. According to the recent agreement between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union Party (PUK), the Speaker of the Parliament will be given to the PUK and the first Deputy Speaker will be taken by the KDP. The second Deputy will be given to a minority representative whether from a Turkman party or the Christians. Following the election for the Speakership the Parliament will reconvene to name the cabinet and ministries.
- After the KDP and the PUK agreed to hold the Kirkuk Provincial Council meeting in Erbil on the same date as the Parliament meeting, some of the PUK officials rejected the idea of holding the meeting in Erbil. It is uncertain if the meeting will take place or if it will be a meeting of the Kurdish block only. The Sunni Arab members and Turkey’s backed Turkmen members rejected their participation in the meeting. Since October 16, 2017, the Kirkuk Provincial Council has not held a session after the Iraqi forces with Iranian-backed militias attacked Kirkuk and removed its governor from office. The current Speaker of the Council has been sentenced by the Iraqi government.
- On Saturday the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Nechervan Barzani held a meeting with Adel Abdul Mahdi the Iraqi Prime Minister in Baghdad. The meeting was for “strengthening relations” between both sides. The KRG stated that the meeting was for “exerting further effort to settle the remaining issues within the framework of the Constitution of Iraq.”
- After a series of meetings and coordination between the Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi military, a small number of the Peshmerga forces were deployed between Kifri and Tuz Khurmatu for a short period of time. The deployment to the region came after the increase of ISIS terror attacks in the area. Both sides had the formed committees to coordinate the limited deployment of the Peshmerga forces in the certain area where ISIS is active especially after October 16, 2017, due to the vacuum left by the Peshmerga forces. In regards to Kirkuk, the Peshmerga forces have not yet deployed as there still needs to be an agreement between the KRG and Baghdad.
Syria
- On Saturday, the U.S. backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched its “final battle” to defeat the remaining ISIS terrorists in al Bagouz town. As the ISIS “Caliphate” is deteriorating, the SDF rescued tens of civilians fleeing ISIS-controlled areas. Among the civilians were a number of European women who joined ISIS in Syria in 2014. On February 11, ISIS terrorists counter attacked the SDF with rockets leaving a number of the SDF wounded.
- According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, following President Trump’s announcement on December 18, 2018, the U.S. troops will withdraw from Syria at the end of April. In a testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, General Joseph Votel the Commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) warned about ISIS threats in Syria. Votel stated that he was not consulted about the U.S. withdrawal from Syria by President Trump. Votel estimated the remaining ISIS terrorists at “tens of thousands.” Further, the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Director, Vladimir Voronkov, warned the Security Council about ISIS presence in Iraq and Syria and described the organization as “center of gravity.” Last week Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan once again threatened to attack the Kurdish region of Syria post-U.S. withdrawal.
- A recent report by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reveals new waves of lootings and robberies by the Turkish Jihadi groups in the Afrin region. The SOHR report of February 8, sheds light on “new ways” the Jihadi groups are stealing furniture from Kurdish homes. In addition, the Jihadi groups are buying goods from Kurdish shops while in debt and without paying. The SOHR report also includes Jihadi terrorists using transportation vehicles by Kurds without paying their fees.
Turkey
- The hunger strikes in solidarity with the Kurdish politician Leyla Guven continue by the Kurdish communities across Europe. Guven was released from Turkish prison on conditions three weeks ago but decided to continue her hunger strike on the 97th day to raise awareness of the isolation of the imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdulah Ocalan and the political prisoners of Turkey. On February 11, the Pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) leadership decided to hold a march in Istanbul in support of Guven, however, the Turkish police prevented the event from taking place and blocked the HDP group from holding their planned march. Guven’s health has deteriorated significantly and it is in a life-threatening stage.
- Last week, after the arrest of hundreds of Kurdish activists and members of the HDP before the local election on March 31, the Turkish police conducted more raids against the Kurds and detained tens more. On February 5 and 7 the police detained 29 people in Ercis district in Van province. The detainees included elderly Kurdish women. On February 8, the Turkish police detained 13 people who are members of Kurdish parties or activists in Kurtalan district of Siirt province. The house raids were conducted by the Turkish military forces. Meanwhile, the Turkish court of Gaziantep sentenced a Kurdish politician and former lawmaker, Gulser Yildirim to seven years and six months in prison. In addition, in Antalya another HDP administrator was jailed last week for social media posts criticizing the ruling party and Erdogan.