An air supported military operation launched by the Turkish army on the Çırav mountains in Siirt has had to be stopped as Kurdish people formed a human shield.

In the foothills of the Çırav Mountain, where the villages of Akmeşe (Dirişka), Akdiken (Serpene), Payamlı (Dêrawid), Budamış (Spandikan) in the district of Eruh are located, the Turkish army launched an air supported operation with the participation of a large number of soldiers and village guards. The villagers formed a human shield against the operation yesterday morning.  The action was attended by hundreds of Kurdish people as well as administrators from the Party of Democratic Regions.

The protestors held a vigil at the Şaş hill in between Budamış (Spandikan) and Akdiken (Serpene) villages. Chanting slogans such as: “PKK is the people, the people are here” and “Long Live Apo”, the people waited at the hill. The soldiers and the village guards retreated around midnight putting an end to the operation. The protestors continued the vigil at the hill until early morning.