The large-scale operation started by the Turkish army with the participation of 8 thousand soldiers, special operations police and village guards continues in the rural areas of 18 villages in Amed's Lice district that were placed under a curfew announced on Sunday.

The operation is conducted in an area of 30 kilometers within the boundaries of Amed's Lice district and Bingöl's Genç district, and military activity intensifies in the territory of Zengesor, Xosor, Mergê, Mızak, Hendiv, Barav and Axtigan villages.

Reports suggest that helicopters are conducting bombardments in the operation zone since yesterday noon, and construction equipment dispatched to the area are clearing the snow on roads.

While phone services are interrupted and there is no access to the region for two days, an elderly by the name of Remzi was reportedly detained in Xasor village.

On the other hand, Turkish forces are reported to be conducting raids and searches in the houses where nobody is staying during the winter season. Locals residing in the villages are not allowed to go out and their animals are not fed for three days now.

As the region remains under an entire military blockade, Turkish forces have set up check points at 28 locations including in the villages that are not involved in the curfew zone.

People travelling on Amed-Bingöl highway are stopped at the check point in front of the Baver outpost, and the locals are facing repeated insults by the soldiers.

It is claimed that sporadic clashes are taking place in the rural areas of Mızag and Hendiv villages where the operation intensifies.

In the meantime, a delegation from the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), Free Women's Movement (TJA) Democratic Regions' Party (DBP) and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has left for Lice due to the ongoing military operation.

DTK, TJA, DBP and HDP released a statement yesterday calling attention to the risk of a massacre during the curfew and military operation in 18 villages of Lice in consideration of the recent practices of genocide, massacre and human rights abuses committed by state forces in Northern Kurdistan territory.

The statement said that:

"No news can be received from the people living in these 18 villages involved in the curfew zone. While traces are still in place of the torture of locals, demolition of their houses and living areas, slaughter of their animals in 5 villages which include Xerabê Bava and Talatê villages of Nusaybin, we call on the public opinion to show sensitivity in order not to allow a similar massacre and destruction in Lice.

In order to protect the people's right to life and to prevent the destruction of their living areas, we call on all our people, those in Amed in the first place, NGOs, international institutions and organisations to act urgently before it is too late."