342
Iran
- The Kurdistan Human Rights Association reported a protest by Kurdish residents of Hasan Abad town in Sanandaj demanding better service and protesting the poor road conditions. The regime’s police forces arrested several of the protestors. The protests broke out after several traffic incidents while the municipalities lack delivering services to the Kurdish areas.
- A 19 year old Kurdish border porter has died from his injuries after he was shot last month by Iran’s military forces. Rahman Ibrahimi was working as a Kolbar when he was shot and later transferred to a hospital in Tabriz where he lost his life.
Iraq
- On May 2, during a press conference, the acting governor of Sulaymaniyah Sardar Qadir have resigned. “Unfortunately, working between the lack of budget and requirements of the people is hard,” Qadir added. “I announce my resignation as acting governor of Sulaimani.” Qardir is a member of the Change Party (Gorran) and became acting governor last year.
- The leadership of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) held a meeting on Saturday. Amid PUK’s unsuccessful mediation in between the Kurdish parties to end the political crises, the PUK reaffirmed reactivating the Parliament. The PUK also addressed the preparation for the “independent referendum.” According to the spokesperson of PUK, the party also discussed the results of their meetings with the Democratic Party of Kurdistan (KDP) and the Change party (Gorran).
- After majority votes in Kirkuk’s Provincial Council to raise the Kurdish flag alongside the Iraq Flag, the flag of Kurdistan has officially raised on the government building in Kirkuk Province. Kirkuk’s governor Najmaldin Karim supervised a committee for making one style Iraqi and Kurdistan flags for government buildings. The committee has distributed the newly made flags to the departments. Kirkuk’s governor held a meeting with heads of Arab tribes in Qara Tapa village. In the meeting he said: “The flag of Kurdistan is uniting us Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, Chaldean and Assyrians (Christians) as the flag of federal Iraq does.”
Syria
- The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) liberated 95% of the strategic town of Al Tabqa, including 35 miles west of the city of Raqqa. The SDF, supported by the U.S. led coalition, controlled a bomb factory in the town. The SDF also seized a large amount of weapons and ammunitions from ISIS. After the town is completely liberated, the SDF plans to get closer from Raqqa city offensive. Meanwhile thousands of families who fled ISIS controlled areas are residing in SDF controlled neighborhoods amid calls from the headquarters of the liberation campaign “Wrath of Euphrates” to the international organization to aid the displaced families. The complete liberation of Al Tabqa is expected within the next day or two.
- On April 25, and after the Turkish warplane struck the positions of the U.S. backed Kurdish forces of the people Defense Units (YPG), Saleh Moslem, the Co-President of the main Kurdish (PYD) party in Syria, said: “[The] international coalition must not stay silent, and must not accept one of these attacks.” In another Kurdish reaction, the Co-chair of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) Elham Ahmed said: “From now on, we would not accept our areas that contain hundred thousands of refugees to be bombarded.” After the Turkish strikes, the Turkish artillery targeted areas in Tel Abyad, a town under control of YPG and was liberated from ISIS in 2015. In west of Syria, the Turkish artillery destroyed the Kurdish radio station of Afrin. On April 28, U.S. troops deployed alongside the border of Syria with Turkey to avoid clashes between the Turkish forces and the YPG. In Afrin photos showed the deployment of Russian troops on the borders with Turkey North West of Syria in order to prevent Turkey from shelling the Kurdish areas. On May 1, the YPG released a statement announcing the details of attacks on Afrin city by Turkey-backed armed groups.
Turkey
- The Turkish police arrested Ibrahim Ayhan, Urfa’s lawmaker of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP). Ayhan was arrested at Ankara’s airport while attending his flight from Urfa to Ankara. A total of 12 lawmakers of HDP including both Co-chairs of HDP are imprisoned by the Turkish government alongside 80 mayors.
- On April 25, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) reopened monitoring procedure of Turkey over “serious concerns” in regards to human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The PACE resolution called upon Turkey to lift the State of Emergency and to release all detained lawmakers and journalists. In regards to the recent referendum in Turkey, PACE expressed deep regret since it was contested on an “uneven playing field.” In 2018 a report will be presented to asses the progresses made in Turkey. Separately on Monday May 1, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein expressed concerns about the State of Emergency and mass arrests.