Makhmur Democratic People’s Council Member Heci Kaçan denied the allegations recently made by Makhmur District Governor Rizgar Mihemed Ismail that the Martyr Rüstem Cudi Refugee Camp in Makhmur was used as a military base.

Heci Kaçan said: “The Martyr Rüstem Refugee Camp is under UN supervision, and it is under the Federal Kurdistan Region administratively. We consider these comments made by Makhmur District Governor Rizgar Mihemed Ismail to be a result of their political relationship with KDP and AKP.”

Heci Kaçan said they as the people of Makhmur thin these allegations have a deeper meaning, and added: “These kinds of comments inevitably make us a target for our enemies. We don’t accept these remarks. It is not true that buildings under United Nations supervision are used as a military base.”

Kaçan said the buildings in question were being used by the UN and that the UN carried out their own activities in those buildings.

“OUR PEOPLE SHOULD NOT HEED SUCH REMARKS”

Kaçan reiterated that in 2014, ISIS gangs attacked many areas in Kurdistan and HPG guerrillas were officially invited to the region by the Southern Kurdistan Government to stop these attacks, and said: “And, at the time, Mr. Masoud Barzani in particular came to our camp in person and visited the guerrilla forces. It is certainly not the case that the guerrilla forces stayed here clandestinely.”

Heci Kaçan stated that guerrilla forces have been positioned around the camp and fulfilled the duty of protection, and added: “Such remarks about our camp only serve to make our people targets. We will hold responsible District Governor Rizgar Mihemed Ismail and the KDP he’s a member of in any case of danger arising against our camp. Because everybody knows our camp is a civilian refugee camp. Our call to the people of the South is that they don’t heed such remarks.”