Kurdistan Digest | October 18, 2024

A Digest of Events in the Kurdistan Regions of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.

Iran 

• Iranian courts issued lengthy prison sentences to numerous Kurdish activists, including several women, on charges related to activism and “spreading corruption on Earth.” A 38-year-old woman from Bokan named Zahra Sajedinia received a ten-month sentence after she was initially detained in July. Similarly, a Kurdish woman named Manizhe Khoshnoud received a ten-month sentence after she was arrested when Iranian authorities raided a home in July. Concurrently, a Kurdish activist named Susan Hassanzadeh received a three-month sentence for criticizing the regime. According to the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Iranian authorities arrested eight female activists in September 2024, six of whom were sentenced to prison. The regime also sentenced a Kurdish activist named Idris Karsaz to three years in prison for membership in a banned Kurdish party, another Kurdish man named Ayhan Alikani to six years in prison for “membership in opposition groups.” Meanwhile, a 37-year-old Kurdish border porter (kolbar) from Sardasht named Siamand Hasanpour died after he fell from a cliff while attempting to evade Iranian border guards in the Qandil region. Iranian border guards also shot a kolbar named Shahwan Moshhouri multiple times while he was crossing the border into Baneh. Moshhouri was taken to a hospital in Tabriz for treatment. Lastly, Iranian police fatally shot a 22-year-old Kurdish man named Mehrshad Almasi in Kermanshah. Several witnesses claimed Almasi was shot twice after resisting the police’s attempt to confiscate his motorcycle.

Iraq 

• Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) spokesperson Myles Caggins told Rudaw that the suspension of oil exports from Iraqi Kurdistan has cost Iraq $21 billion since March 2023. Despite over a year of ongoing discussions between the Iraqi government, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and APIKUR, no tangible solution has emerged. Iraqi Kurdistan’s oil exports were halted when an International Chamber of Commerce Court of Arbitration ruling banned the independent export of oil from Iraqi Kurdistan via Turkey.
• An official from Iraq’s Independent Electoral High Commission (IHEC) claimed nearly 2,000 observers from consulates and international organizations are poised to oversee Iraqi Kurdistan’s parliamentary elections on October 20. Sunday’s elections have sparked intense exchanges between Iraqi Kurdistan’s ruling and opposition parties, with the opposition Gorran (Change) Movement experiencing a division between its two factions and the resignation of three cabinet members. Concurrently, newly appointed Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Mohamed al Hassan visited Iraqi Kurdistan and emphasized the importance of the upcoming elections. “This is absolutely necessary. The Kurdistan Region has been without a parliament for some time, and this election is long overdue,” said al Hassan.

Syria 

• On October 12, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced U.S. forces conducted airstrikes targeting several ISIS (Da’esh) camps in Syria. CENTCOM claimed the strikes were intended to weaken Da’esh’s ability to plan and execute attacks against the U.S., its allies, and local civilians. The U.S. expects the strikes, which initial assessments say caused no civilian casualties, to significantly degrade Da’esh’s ability to plan and coordinate operations. Meanwhile, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), supported by the International Coalition, conducted a security operation in Raqqa that targeted a Da’esh cell that was planning to attack SDF positions and was responsible for supplying weapons to cells for attacks on SDF personnel and civilians. The SDF seized weapons, ammunition, and personal documents during the raid. Earlier this month, SDF raids targeted two Da’esh cells in Deir Ez Zor and Raqqa on October 2 and 3. The first raid captured a terrorist responsible for recruiting and indoctrinating Da’esh operatives. The second raid netted two Da’esh operatives in Raqqa, Manhal and Madin Ibrahim al Hamoud, who supplied weapons and explosives to Da’esh cells. 
• The Crisis Cell for Lebanon Returnees, established by the Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), announced that 19,754 individuals have entered the region from Lebanon. A recent report by DAANES noted that this total includes 7,200 men, 6,109 women, and 6,350 children. Among the arrivals, 76 are of Lebanese nationality. DAANES added that many returnees are heading to their homes or staying with relatives in the region, and for those without accommodation, centers have been set up by the administration to house them.
• According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), 12 people have been killed in clashes in Aleppo province between Turkish-backed factions. The fighting, which erupted following orders from Turkish intelligence, involved “joint forces” consisting of several Turkmen militias and the “Liwaa Soqour Al-Shamal” faction. Among the dead were four members of the joint forces, six from Liwaa Soqour Al-Shamal, and two civilians, including a woman. Additionally, dozens of fighters and 27 civilians, including three children, were injured. These clashes are part of ongoing internal disputes over control of city revenues, which frequently erupt between Turkish-backed militias since the occupation of the Kurdish city of Afrin. 

Turkey 

• On October 12, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed the possibility of a renewed peace process with the Kurds, following Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli’s surprising overtures to the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party. Bahçeli, previously known for his hardline stance on the Kurds and calls for the DEM Party’s closure, shocked many by shaking hands with DEM deputies and inviting them to “become a party of Turkey.” Erdoğan praised Bahçeli’s gesture as a positive step for democracy and expressed hope for a broader social consensus in drafting a new constitution. He emphasized the need to establish peace at home amid regional turmoil, while reaffirming his commitment to resolving issues through non-violent means. President Erdoğan continues to rally support for drafting a new constitution, and experts view his recent outreach to the Kurds as a strategic move to gain backing for another presidential term. Nevertheless, the Turkish government continued its bombardment of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Iraqi Kurdistan while also intensifying its crackdown on Kurds within Turkey.
• The DEM Party issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to the coexistence of diverse peoples and beliefs in Turkey and global politics. The party, which advocates for the equal and democratic rights of the oppressed, condemned recent attacks targeting its collective struggle, particularly against Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları. Several pro-government social media accounts targeted Hatimoğulları after decades-old videos surfaced, showing her praising a nationalist Arab leader. The DEM Party characterized these social media attacks as a racist and sexist response, claiming the videos were taken out of context and misrepresented. The party asserted that it would not tolerate such slander from organized troll accounts and remains dedicated to its mission, drawing from the rich history of the Kurdish political movement and socialist movements in Turkey. The DEM Party is co-led by Tülay Hatimoğulları, who was raised in an Arab family and identifies as a feminist, alongside Kurdish politician Tuncer Bakırhan.