580
Iran
- Since the middle of March, at least 70 people were killed in Iran due to flooding caused by record rainfalls that lasted for weeks. There were a large number of flood-related casualties in the Kurdish region of Iran, especially in Lorestan and Kermanshah provinces. In Mamulan and Pol Dakhtar cities of Lorestan province, most of the homes were flooded while the two cities lost electricity, telephone, and internet. Several Kurdish humanitarian organizations launched campaigns to collect aid for the victims of the flooding. The campaigns started in Ilam, Sanandaj, Kamyaran, Baneh, and Salmas cities. The Kurdish organizations accused the Iranian regime of discriminatory policies toward the Kurdish region, specifically with its poor response to the natural disaster. The Kurdistan Human Rights Associations (KMMK) reported that most of the Kurdish population opted to donate to non-governmental organizations over government entities to better ensure the delivery of the materials to the affected people by the floods in the Kurdish region.
- Near Marivan city, a Kurdish man was severely injured when an old mine from Iran-Iraq war exploded on him. The 50-year old man, Karim Rasti, was the latest victim of such war remnants this year: he was the seventh person to be killed by these mines in 2019.
- In Bokan, a Kurdish man was taken into custody by the Iranian intelligence officers (Ettelaat). According to the rights group Hengaw, a Kurdish man Qadir Alawesyan was accused by the Ettelaat of “disrespecting the supreme leader” Ali Khamenei. Meanwhile, a Kurdish civilian activist, Saed Iqbali, from Kermanshah, was given notice to appear before the Islamic Revolution Court in Tehran. Iqbali, who has been detained in his hometown for two days and counting, stands accused of orchestrated a “campaign against the government.”
Iraq
- After a political deadlock that lasted six months over forming the new cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of Iraq, the Democratic Party of Kurdistan (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) finally reached an agreement on Wednesday. The agreement came after the two parties reached a final understanding and also agreed on the sharing the ministerial positions. According to Rudaw, in the new Cabinet, the PUK will receive the positions of Speaker of the Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister, Planning Minister, Peshmerga Ministry, Deputy Minister of the Natural Resources, Deputy Minister of the Interior Minister, and the newly formed position of Assistant Kurdistan President. The Change party (Third winner with 12 seats) objected to the formation of this new position in the Kurdistan Presidency. The Change Party will receive the position of the Vice President. The new KRG formation will start after Wednesday when the Parliament will convene to amend the Presidency laws that will elect the region’s President inside the Parliament by the lawmakers. The new amendment will be effective over the next four years until the parties in the Kurdistan region agree on a draft constitution.
- On Monday near Daquq district in Kirkuk province, the U.S.-led coalition engaged a group of ISIS terrorists and killed seven. Last week ISIS terrorists ambushed the Iraqi federal police which resulted in the death of five. Since October 16, 2017, the security of Kirkuk has deteriorated after the Iraqi forces and Iranian-backed militias took control of Kirkuk after driving out the Kurdish Peshmerga. Meanwhile, the Iraqi Minister of Defense and the Peshmerga forces have not yet reached an agreement to allow the Peshmerga forces to return and operate jointly with the Iraqi Forces in what are known as the disputed territories in Kirkuk, Khanaqin, and Shingal.
- On Saturday, the Turkish military bases near Iraqi Kurdistan and Turkey bombarded a Kurdish village with mortars near Zakho. No casualties have been reported. On Friday, near Qandil mountain, Turkish warplanes targeted positions of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Such Turkish airstrikes have killed about 12 civilians over the past two years.
Syria
- On Friday, tens of jailed ISIS terrorists in Derek prison north of Syria held a riot and attacked the prison guards. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) sent reinforcement to contain the situation. A Spokesperson for the International coalition confirmed the incident and announced the resolution of the situation by the SDF peacefully with no casualties. Since taking control of formerly ISIS-occupied territories, the SDF has captured thousands of terrorists including about 1,500 foreign terrorists.
- In Bagouz town, a suicide attack targeted the SDF and killed two fighters of the People’s Defense Units (YPG). In a statement, the YPG revealed the names of the two female fighters who were killed in the terrorist attack on April 3. In Raqqa, the SDF captured a group of ISIS sleeper cells.
- After a meeting between the U.S. secretary Michael Pompeo and the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Department of the State released a statement warning Turkey against military actions in Syria. “Secretary Pompeo expressed support for ongoing negotiations regarding northeast Syria, while warning of the potentially devastating consequences of unilateral Turkish military action in the region,” read the statement. Meanwhile, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed his threats to invade the Kurdish region in Syria. On the Kurdish side, during a speech in an event organized by the self-administration, the SDF general commander Mazloum Abdi stressed the administration’s willingness to hold talks with Turkey if the latter leaves the occupied Kurdish region of Afrin in Syria.
Turkey
- After their defeat in the local elections, the Turkish ruling party of Justice and Development (AKP) demanded recounts in Istanbul and at least two more cities where the Kurdish party had won. The election commission agreed to recount votes in Kars and Gevaş (a district of Van Province). Meanwhile, in Istanbul, several districts will be included in the recount but not all. In Hakkari, the office of the governor issued a ban on public meetings and protests. The ban comes after Kurdish candidates won back several districts in the province after the previous Kurdish mayors and elected officials were sacked by the Turkish government.
- The hunger strikes by Kurdish activists in Turkey and around the world headed by the former Kurdish lawmaker Leyla Guven continued into their 153rd day. The hunger-strikers demand that the Turkish government end the isolation of the imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan as well as of other political prisoners in Turkey. On Tuesday, a seventh Kurdish political prisoner ended his life in order to raise awareness of imprisoned Kurds in Turkey. Sirac Yuksek, who was a member of the PKK, ended his life in Osmaniye Prison. Previously, leaders of the Pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) called on these political prisoners to avoid suicide.
- On Monday, six Kurdish activists and civilians were arrested by the Turkish police in Malazgirt district of Mus province. On Friday, in Ercis district of Van, three people were detained after house raids by special police. Thousands of HDP members and Kurdish activists remain in Turkish jails since July 2015 when the Turkish government ended the peace process with the PKK.