KURDISTAN

Latest News

• YPG reports intensified attacks by Turkish military 

  YPG stated that Turkish army conducted attacks along the western and eastern borders of Kobanê and civilian settlements on the border throughout yesterday.
• KDP delegation meets with PUK and Goran for a solution to the crisis 

  KDP members have met with PUK officials in Sulaimani to discuss the ongoing crisis in Southern Kurdistan.
• HDP report on Gever: Dozens killed, thousands of houses destroyed 

  HDP issued a report on Gever (Yüksekova) and stated that 90 people have been killed and 6770 houses have been destroyed in the district.
• Internal conflict in Van: New trustee appointed in place of the trustee 

  Ministry of Interior Affairs is appointing new trustees as AKP members do not get along with the existing trustees at the DBP-held municipalities in Van province and its districts.
• Trustee appointed to Yüksekova Municipality 

  Yüksekova District Governor Mahmut Kaşıkçı has been assigned as trustee to the district municipality.
• "PKK member" killed by police in Şırnak turns out to be municipal worker 

  Şehmus Uğur who was executed by police in Şırnak as a PKK member the day before turned out to be a municipal worker.
• Call for solidarity with the people of Nusaybin facing ongoing demolition 

  Former co-mayor of Nusaybin pointed to the increasingly ongoing demolition in the district over the past several days, and called for support for the residents amid challenging winter conditions.
• SDF fighters: We will encircle and liberate Raqqa 

  Fighters partaking in the Operation Wrath of Euphrates said: “We aim to clear western Raqqa entirely of ISIS as part of the second stage of the operation to liberate Raqqa”.
• Up to 37-year prison sentence sought for HDP MP Leyla Birlik 

  Up to 37-year prison sentence is sought for jailed HDP MP Leyla Birlik due to press briefings, demonstrations and funerals she attended in Şırnak province.
• Curfew amid ongoing military operations in 21 villages of Amed 

  Curfew has been declared in 21 villages in 4 districts of the mainly Kurdish city Amed.
• KDP asayish seizes the body of US volunteer martyred in Manbij 

  KDP asayish has seized the body of Manbij Military Council's (MMC) international fighter Michael Israel from the U.S. after the delivery of his body from Rojava to Southern Kurdistan.
• Ahmet Türk’s wife: Erdoğan will be responsible for any undesired results 

  İHD’s report issued yesterday on the situation of the arrested MPs and co-mayors included Ahmet Türk refusing treatment in handcuffs and thus not being taken to the hospital.
• Two more DBP municipalities raided by police in Siirt 

  The municipalities of Baykan and Veysel Karani in Siirt province were raided by police and Baykan Co-mayor Selva Erdoğan was detained.
• YBŞ and YJŞ Commanders met with the US Consul 

  YBŞ and YJŞ Commanders met with the Consul of Hewler on December 12 to discuss the situation in Shengal.
• Eye witnesses confirm that the F-16 was downed 

  Eye witness accounts confirm that the F-16 jet fighter in Amed was downed by the HPG. One of the eye witnesses say there were 2 pilots in the aircraft and they were held at gunpoint.
• 2 more villages liberated from ISIS gangs 

  Wrath of Euphrates Operation Room fighters liberated al Meshud and al Xefi villages from ISIS gangs in Syria’s Raqqa province.
• Overview of the Wrath of Euphrates Initiative’s second phase 

  The Wrath of Euphrates initiative to liberate Raqqa has entered its second phase.
• Turkish state’s open “secret”: Maraş Massacre 

  38 years have passed since the massacre against Kurdish Alevis in Maraş planned by the dark groups in the deep state and carried out by fascist gangs.
• One village and one hamlet liberated in Raqqa 

  Clashes intensified and Wrath of Euphrates fighters liberated one village and one hamlet on the 6th day of Operation Liberate Raqqa.
• HDP Dersim Parliamentarian Alican Önlü released - UPDATED 

  HDP Dersim Parliamentarian Alican Önlü was released today after having been detained at Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport yesterday.
• HPG: F-16 taken down in Amed 

  Peoples’ Defense Central Command announced that its Martyr Azad Farqin unit used special techniques to down a Turkish F-16 warplane in Amed on December 12.
• Gercüş Co-mayors detained 

  12 people including Gercüş Co-mayors Zeynep Oduncu and Abdulkerim Kaya were detained in Batman today.
• Baydemir: Every Kurd should pressure their own party for national unity 

  HDP Urfa MP Osman Baydemir called on all Kurdish organizations and parties in all 4 parts to achieve Kurdish national alliance as soon as possible. Baydemir called on Kurds to pressure their parties.
• Qamişlo: “The fraternity in the battle front will reflect on the society” 

  Assyrian Military Council Member Aron Qamişlo in the war front in the Wrath of Euphrates operation said: “We are fighting against ISIS in trust, shoulder to shoulder with the fighters from other peoples in the operation.”
• 3 more Co-mayors detained in Bitlis 

  Turkish police detained Mutki Co-mayor Özcan Birlik, Hizan Co-mayor İhsan Uğur and Yolalan Co-mayor Felemez Aydın in Bitlis this morning.