The village of Şikeftan, in Şemdinli district of Hakkari province, has been under military siege since March 21 when a 52.500 kg explosive was found in a car driven by a police officer with the initials A.K.

On the date of the incident, Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu claimed that the explosive in question was laden in Iraq on a vehicle which was then brought to Şemdinli, but with its target being Istanbul.

As part of the investigation launched after the minister’s statement, Turkish troops laid siege to the village of Şikeftan. Access to the village has been restricted for 40 days.

Turkish troops put pressure on the residents and depopulate the village, according to reports. Of the total 50 families living in the village, 35 have left already. Of the remaining 15 families, 14 have sold their sheep and the other one is harassed by soldiers to do the same. The villagers have had no access to water for 10 days and they are not allowed to leave the vicinity of their houses. Those who attempt to get out of the village to get supplies are subjected to strip search and other measures by the Turkish forces.
The Turkish state has escalated its repression of the Kurdish population in villages after the occupation attacks it launched against guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) on April 17.