Fire erupts in Duhok following PKK-Turkish military clashes
Shafaq News / On Friday, A fire broke out in farmlands and forests in the Al-Amadiya district of northern Duhok governorate due to armed clashes between the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Turkish military.
Eyewitnesses told Shafaq News Agency that a resident’s house in Al-Amadiya was struck by gunfire, though no casualties were reported.
They added that the gunfire was part of clashes between the Turkish military and PKK fighters in areas along the Matin mountain range.
In a related incident, villagers from Koherzi in Al-Amadiya confirmed that they managed to extinguish a large fire that broke out last night due to Turkish artillery shelling targeting their village.
“The villagers used primitive methods to extinguish the fire, as civil defense teams were unable to reach the area due to difficult terrain and security conditions.” They said.
On Thursday, witnesses informed Shafaq News Agency that Turkish artillery shelled the old village of Koherzi in Al-Amadiya, causing fires to erupt in the village's forests and farmlands.
Notably, residents of Koherzi abandoned their old village decades ago due to the ongoing conflict between the Turkish military and PKK fighters in the region.
The PKK conflict, spanning four decades, has been a persistent challenge, with Ankara expressing disappointment in the Iraqi government's "historical reluctance" to acknowledge and ban the PKK as a terrorist organization.
However, recent developments have signaled a shift in Iraq's stance.
Following high-level talks between Turkish and Iraqi officials, Iraq announced the designation of the PKK as a "banned organization," aligning with Turkiye's concerns and paving the way for enhanced cooperation in combating terrorism.
In March 2024, Turkiye proposed the establishment of a "joint operation center" with Iraq to combat the PKK, a move that has received a positive response from Baghdad.
According to a Turkish defense ministry official, the proposal aims to enhance cooperation in addressing the PKK's activities along the Iraq-Turkiye border.
