Village in Şırnak militarily sealed off after clashes

After clashes between Kurdish guerrillas and soldiers of the Turkish army, a village in Şırnak has been militarily sealed off. Meanwhile, more troops are being transferred to the region.

The village of Bana (Turkish: Ormaniçi) in the province of Şırnak has been militarily sealed off after clashes between members of the People's Defense Forces (Hêzên Parastina Gel, HPG) and soldiers of the Turkish army. The inhabitants have not been allowed to leave the village in Basan (Güçlükonak) district since Monday, massive concentrations of troops are reported.

According to available information, the fighting broke out following a bombardment on the rural surroundings of the village by Turkish attack helicopters. The entrance to the village on the nearby banks of the Tigris River is blocked by several armoured vehicles, and the telephone network has failed several times, according to sources in the region. Clouds of smoke are also rising above the village. It can be assumed that the bombing has caused wildfires.

Meanwhile, it is still unclear whether the fighting in Bana resulted in deaths or injuries. The situation remains tense.