The plundering and destruction of nature in Kurdistan by the Turkish AKP/MHP regime has reached boundless proportions over the last nine years. The military, political and judicial campaign of annihilation against the Kurdish people goes hand in hand with cultural genocide and targeted ecocide. The military bases and dams built in Northern Kurdistan by the AKP government for alleged ‘security reasons’ are part of this annihilation project. In southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq), the population is being subjected to expulsion, poverty and oppression with the support of the ruling KDP. It is not enough for the Turkish state to make Kurdistan a colony. Under its occupation, the demographic structure is being changed.

The Turkish state terror does not only target the Kurdish people, but also the nature of Kurdistan. Through military restricted areas and cutting down of the forests in Botan, the living space and the income of the population have been systematically destroyed in recent years. Oil companies are taking over the area.

Concept of special warfare

The attacks in Kurdistan everywhere follow a concept of special warfare. The Turkish state is applying the same strategy of social destruction and ecocide in southern Kurdistan that it has tried and tested in northern Kurdistan. In 2022, at least four million trees were felled to clear the way for the occupation troops. The destruction has been ramped up in recent years, with hundreds of villages being depopulated.

Kurdistan is being depopulated and poisoned

Just as in the north, the population in the south is being driven out by multi-layered attacks. In parallel with the day-and-night bombing of guerrilla areas and the use of banned weapons, the civilian population and nature are being attacked. The Turkish army is bombing the mountains and permanently poisoning the soil of southern Kurdistan.