As part of the operation launched by the Turkish state forces on February 11, the Omeryan zone in Mardin’s Nusaybin district is under a blockade. Xerabê Bava (Koruköy) has been the epicenter of the attacks in the blockaded area. State forces have also surrounded the Talatê village and that village is also under attack now. In the attacks that have continued for 18 days in Xerabê Bava and 8 days in Talatê, several people have been executed, houses have been burned down and animals have perished. State forces tortured the villagers and still have the area under blockade, while the people of Omeryan are displaying a resistance worthy of their history.

FORTRESS OF RESISTANCE IN MARDIN: OMERYAN

The Omeryan zone has 90 villages and is one of the first places in Kurdistan that the freedom movement had contact with the people in Mardin. The Omeryan zone has paid a heavy price and spent great efforts for the Kurdistan freedom struggle, and is the area that parties from the Kurdish freedom movement tradition gather the highest votes. The patriotic people of Omeryan were targeted by the state forces throughout history, especially in the ‘80s when the Apoist movement spread in Kurdistan. But they never bowed down, they always resisted and declared victory for patriotism against state forces.

FIRST TARGET XERABÊ BAVA

The new wave of attack launched by the Turkish state forces first targeted the Omeryan zone in Mardin. The Turkish army started to blockade the area on February 11 and the governorate declared a curfew in İlkadım, Yavruköy, Büyükkardeş, Küçükkardeş, Akarsu and Xerabê Bava villages in the region. The curfew was lifted officially one day later,and state forces started attacking the Xerabê Bava village with heavy weapons. The state forces gathered the men in Xerabê Bava in the village square on the first day of the attacks, and detained dozens of villagers after they tortured them. On following days, the state forces carried out house raids and continued to detain and torture villagers.

XERABÊ BAVA PILLAGED

State forces set houses on fire in Xerabê Bava, along with barns, and dozens of animals perished.

Turkish state forces prevented Xerabê Bava villagers from leaving their homes and turned many homes into headquarters. They also cut of power and water lines to the village and prevented any kind of aid. The villagers had trouble finding food after the first week of the attacks, and the threat of infectious diseases rose due to the lack of water. State forces have executed 5 people up to date, and many people have been wounded. Some of the wounded and the sick were transported to hospitals, but many sick and wounded people are not allowed out of the village still.

ABDİ AYKUT BECAME THE PHOTO OF THE STATE'S TORTURE

State forces, who have been trying to hide their attacks, executions and torture in Xerabê Bava village, were exposed with the emergence of the photos of the torture of 60 year-old villager Abdi Aykut. Becoming the photo of the savagery perpetrated in Xerabê Bava and Omeryan, Abdi Aykut was labeled as a 'terrorist' and made a target by the Minister of Interior Affairs. Aykut, who was attacked and heavily tortured by state forces in his house on February 17, the fifth day of the siege and aggression, was first taken to police station and then to hospital after feeling faint at police station. Aykut, whose photos emerged while he was at hospital was then taken from hospital to police station after the Interior Minister pointed him as a target. Aykut's health is in critical condition since he was taken back to police station before his treatment was completed.

DETAINED LOCALS SPEAK OF TORTURE

While 29 of the 33 civilians that were officially detained during the attacks on Xerabê Bava village were released, residents Vasfi Doğan, İsmail Ay and Mecit Bal were formally arrested. The villagers released from custody documented the torture perpetrated in Xerabê Bava with their statements on what they have been through. Villagers said they suffered heavy torture as they were piled up and kept in cold cells for many days.

ATTACK ON TALATÊ

Turkish state forces began to attack Talatê village on February 21, the 10th day of their attacks on Xerabê Bava. Talatê village is 7 km away from Xerabê Bava and was besieged and shelled by state forces with artillery fire in the afternoon of February 21.

State forces destroyed many houses with construction equipment and cut off power and water in the village. Many villagers have been detained and there is still no news about the aftermath of detained village headman Mahmut Uzun and Abdurrahman Ülker. Abdurrahman Akbaş, Adil Akbaş, Osman Akbaş and Mehmet Acar are some of the people whose houses have been burned down by state forces.

CLEAN-UP IN XERABÊ BAVA

A cleaning worker spoke of the savagery and destruction in Xerabê Bava village where state forces brought earth diggers and cleaning workers on February 23 to clean-up the area after their atrocity and destruction. Corpses of the massacred animals were collected and the burned areas are being camouflaged. Reports suggest that Turkish forces wrote racist, sexist and fascist graffiti in Xerabê Bava as well, just like what they do in every area they enter in North Kurdistan. The cleaning workers were made to remove and clean the graffiti too.

DELEGATIONS PREVENTED

Delegations formed by HDP and DBP members launched an indefinite vigil against Turkish state forces' attacks on Xerabê Bava and Talatê villages. These delegations attempted to reach the villages but were stopped at the entrance of the Hatxe (Yandere) village, and they continue to wait here in order to reach the areas under attack. Representatives of non-governmental organizations, unions and peace groups from Turkey and North Kurdistan are visiting the HDP-DBP delegation here in order to show solidarity.

QURDISE VILLAGE BECAME THE LATEST TARGET

After the siege and attacks on Xerabê Bava and Talatê villages, state forces' latest target has become the Qurdise (Yardere) village in Omeryan region. State forces besieged Qurdise village on February 27, and blocked the entrance and exit points in the village where a declared curfew continues and nobody is allowed access.

ATTACKS ARE EXPANDING

The siege and attacks launched in Omeryan region on February 11 mark the start of a new process. Turkish state forces are increasing their attacks on Omeryan, showing that they are preparing for an all-out attack in this region. Villages of Xerabê Bava and Talatê have been burned down and Cibilgirave and Qurdise villages remain under a siege. The attacks of Turkish state forces are expected to expand to the rest of Omeryan region and Mardin territory.