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A weekly brief of events occurred in the Kurdistan regions of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.
Iran
- The Iranian regime escalated its assaults on Kurdish border porters (kolbar) throughout the region last week. During two separate attacks on Tuesday, Iranian border guards killed one kolbar and injured five others near Baneh. The following day, another kolbar lost their life in the same area, while Iranian forces sustained their attacks, causing injuries to thirteen individuals, including two teenagers, over the subsequent days. According to the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, three kolbars have been killed, and 40 others have been injured since the recent visit of Iran’s president, Ebrahim Raisi, to Baneh two weeks ago. Concurrently, security forces continued their crackdown on activists and civilians. Targets included an Imam, a woman, and a civilian in Bokan; two Kurdish men in Khoy; a labor activist in Kamyaran; two Kurdish men in Saulawa; a Kurdish language teacher, Siarous Abbasi, in Dewalan; a musician in Senna; and a political activist in Marivan. In Piranshahr, security forces arrested five teenagers. Additionally, the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Senna sentenced a Kurdish man named Kaywan Zandagi to five years in prison for his involvement and role in the Zhina Amini uprisings last year.
- A member of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI), Sorhab Rahmati, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, Erbil, on Thursday. Rahmati, a dedicated lawyer known for representing victims of terrorist attacks by the Iranian regime, sustained injuries when an assailant shot him twice with a silenced firearm. In a statement, the KDPI accused the Iranian regime’s “terror agency” of being behind the assassination.
Iraq
- On November 17 and 19, Iranian-backed militias launched two attack on the Harir air base near Erbil, where US troops are stationed, using explosive-laden drones. No casualties were reported. This marks the seventh confirmed attack on the Harir air base since October 7. The primary focus of the US mission in the Kurdistan Region is to combat ISIS (Da’esh) terrorists as part of the global coalition. Additionally, there were more drone attacks on the Al Asad Air Base. In response to the threat, the US conducted a self-defense strike on a militia vehicle near Abu Ghraib. The Iranian-backed militia group, known as the “Islamic Resistance,” claimed that one of its militants was killed in the US airstrike.
- Despite numerous declarations about reaching agreements to resume Kurdistan oil exports, the issue persists, causing Iraq to lose billions of dollars since March. During a meeting of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) council of ministers, Prime Minister Massrour Barzani announced the “readiness” to recommence oil exports, citing Kurdistan’s constitutional rights. Barzani expressed hope that Baghdad would ” take the necessary steps to expedite this process.”
Syria
- According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the Fourth Division of the Syrian Arab Army has imposed a siege on Aleppo’s northern countryside, which is governed by a joint Arab-Kurdish administration. Controlling the sole crossing between Aleppo province and its northern countryside, the Fourth Division has allegedly blocked fuel shipments from entering the area, aiming to secure these resources for themselves at a lower cost. This blockade has led to severe restrictions on civilian electricity usage and the suspension of public transportation services. The Fourth Division is known to intermittently enforce sieges on Aleppo’s northern countryside, often imposing exorbitant and exploitative fees on goods entering the region.
- The United States Department of Defense has reported 60 attacks by pro-Iran proxy militias in the past month on U.S. military personnel stationed in Syria and Iraq. These attacks resulted in 59 personnel sustaining injuries. The “Islamic Resistance” group, among other pro-Iran militias, has been responsible for repeated drone and rocket assaults on U.S. bases. In response, the U.S. military has conducted multiple airstrikes targeting pro-Iranian and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Council (IRGC) military facilities in Syria. The U.S. has stated its intention to continue striking pro-Iranian targets unless the attacks on U.S. personnel cease.
- On November 19th, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in eastern Deir ez-Zor experienced a second consecutive day of attacks by unidentified gunmen, following artillery and mortar assaults launched by pro-Assad forces from across the Euphrates river into SDF-held territory. Various groups of gunmen, likely affiliated with pro-Damascus and pro-Iran militias, engaged SDF personnel across multiple locations in Deir ez-Zor, utilizing machine guns, rockets, and even motorcycles for their attacks. According to a report by the North Press Agency, these gunmen are believed to be part of the anti-SDF insurgency initiated by pro-government and pro-Iran factions, aiming to overthrow the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (AANES). The unrest in Deir ez-Zor traces back to the arrest of renegade SDF commander Abu Khawla in late August, which prompted Arab tribal fighters loyal to him to launch an uprising. However, subsequent attacks against the SDF in the region have primarily been orchestrated by pro-government and pro-Iran militant groups.
Turkey
- Turkish police have arrested 28 individuals associated with the “freedom march” in the Gemlik district of northwestern Bursa province, organized by the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (HEDEP). The march advocates for the freedom of the jailed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader, Abdullah Öcalan, who has not communicated with the outside world for over two years. Led by HEDEP, the demonstration calls for an end to Öcalan’s strict isolation in İmralı prison. Law enforcement reportedly intervened in the march in the city of Diyarbakir, and there are unconfirmed reports of additional arrests in the city of Van. Öcalan has been in solitary confinement for more than two decades, and both the Kurdish community and various international figures have raised concerns about his treatment by the Turkish authorities.
- The Diyarbakır branch of the Human Rights Association (İHD) has issued its “Child Rights Violations Report,” shedding light on extensive infringements on the rights of children by the Turkish government, particularly in Kurdish-majority provinces. The report reveals that, between January 1st, 2022, and November 1st, 2023, the Turkish authorities violated the “right to life” of 48 children in Kurdish-majority provinces. The report identifies common violations, including deaths and injuries resulting from official errors and negligence, suspicious child deaths, suicides and attempted suicides, sexual abuse, violence in schools, and arbitrary detentions. Additionally, the report discloses that at least 191 children were detained during this period, with at least 19 subjected to torture both inside and outside prisons and detention centers.
- The Co-Chair of the People’s Equality and Democracy Party (HEDEP), Tuncer Bakırhan, addressed critical issues at the party’s provincial and district organizations in Diyarbakır (Amed). The topics discussed encompassed the Turkish military’s attacks on Rojava and the isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. In reference to the situation in Rojava, Bakırhan remarked, “Those shedding crocodile tears for Palestine are playing the three monkeys when it comes to Rojava.” This comment serves as a clear allusion to Erdogan, who has positioned himself as a staunch supporter of Palestine while condemning civilian casualties resulting from Israeli bombings in Gaza. Bakırhan strongly advocated for the end of Öcalan’s isolation, stating, “The isolation of Abdullah Öcalan must be lifted.”