The blockade and de facto ban imposed by the Turkish army in the village of Bilbês in Beytüşşebap (Elkê) have continued for three months now.

Following Turkish military attacks on the areas of Red Deresi, Öküzburun Tepe, Siyahçeşme Dere and Ballı Deresi in the vicinity of the village, the governorate of Şırnak banned entry and exit in and out of the village twice from 29 July to 23 August.

While the ban remained in place, soldiers stormed many houses and detained villagers amidst military deployment, aerial attacks and prohibition of locals from getting out of their homes and grazing their sheep and cattle.

In the face of the ongoing de facto ban, inhabitants complaining about never-ending repression and military siege intend to leave their village.

Speaking to Mezopotamya agency (MA), residents of the village said: “Soldiers are still stationed in the rural areas. They storm our houses whenever they wish, and conduct detailed searches. There is a ban in the entire village and we are not even allowed to take care of our cattle. Most of us have already sold their animals and left the village, and the rest have started to do so. We are faced with forced displacement and evacuation of the village. There were 30 houses in the village and the household of 10 has already left. The others will also leave soon before the winter begins.”  

The village of Ormaniçi (ku: Bana) in the Güçlükonak district has also been under military siege since late July after the eruption of skirmishes between the Kurdish guerrillas and Turkish soldiers.  A de facto state of emergency has been in place in the village since and there is a ban on entering and leaving the village. The residents who make a living from animal husbandry are not even allowed to take care of their gardens and they have been forced to take their cattle to other villages.

The inhabitants of the village said that their village has been under military siege for three months. They expressed that they cannot enter their gardens until they are granted ‘permission’.