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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A company under contract to the Turkish military has built more than 70 kilometers of road in the Kurdistan Region, felling trees to make way for the route, according to a contractor for the company. News that Turkey has been deforesting areas near the border where it is conducting a military operation against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has sparked outrage in the Kurdistan Region.
"We have built a road at Haftanin that extends 74 kilometers into Iraq, and another company has built a 38-kilometer road between Ashite village and Kesta mountains," Sheikh Mus Babat told Rudaw's Nasir Ali on Tuesday.
"It is true that the trees have been cut down, however, it is only to provide heat for the Turkish soldiers," he added. "The trees have not been sent to Turkish cities."
Turkish armed forces launched Operations Claw-Lightning and Claw-Thunderbolt on April 23, targeting alleged PKK positions in northern Duhok province. The operation aims to establish a military base to stop PKK movements between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey as well as Syria. Residents of several villages, including Kesta where one of the roads was built, have fled their homes because of the conflict.
Local residents, speaking on condition of anonymity, have told Rudaw that some of the trees were taken across the border to be sold.
On Tuesday, Duhok Governor Ali Tatar confirmed to Rudaw's Hawar Jalaladin that roads are being built into the Kurdistan Region, saying that in the process trees and stones are being removed.
Kurds on social media are condemning Turkey's actions, calling it "ecocide."
Hemin Hawrami, deputy speaker of the Kurdistan Regional Parliament, met with Turkey's Consul General Hakan Karacay on Tuesday.
In their meeting, Hawrami "expressed his grave concern about the harm caused to the lives and livelihoods of the villagers in the border area villages of Darkar, Bativa, and Kani Masi by the military conflict between Turkey and the PKK," read a statement from the parliament.
He called for the protection of natural resources and private property in the border region.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has also condemned Turkey's logging.
"The Kurdistan Regional Government expresses its concern and dissatisfaction at the Turkish government's deforestation and harm caused to the Kurdistan Region's environment, and it has officially warned Turkey to cease deforestation at the border areas, which is unacceptable," KRG spokesperson Jotiar Adil said in a statement that called on Turkey and the PKK to respect the sovereignty of the region.
The Iraqi and Kurdish agriculture ministries have similarly condemned Turkey, requesting international intervention.
On Sunday, the Turkish Defense Ministry said that Turkey shows "maximum sensitivity and attention" to civilians, the environment as well as historical and cultural sites during their operations.
Since 2015, more than 40 civilians have been killed in the Kurdistan Region as a result of the conflict between Turkey and the PKK. On
Tuesday, a civilian was injured by Turkish shelling of Kani Masi sub-district in Duhok province.
Hundreds of villages have been emptied during the decades of conflict.
The environment is also at risk from fires sparked by the conflict. Kurdistan Region's Forest Police and Environment Directorate last week told Rudaw English that more than 4,000 dunams of land and green spaces have been burned by Turkish bombardments in Duhok province so far this year.
The PKK is an armed Kurdish group seeking more rights for Kurds in Turkey. The group is mainly based in the mountain ranges of the Kurdistan Region.
"We have built a road at Haftanin that extends 74 kilometers into Iraq, and another company has built a 38-kilometer road between Ashite village and Kesta mountains," Sheikh Mus Babat told Rudaw's Nasir Ali on Tuesday.
"It is true that the trees have been cut down, however, it is only to provide heat for the Turkish soldiers," he added. "The trees have not been sent to Turkish cities."
Turkish armed forces launched Operations Claw-Lightning and Claw-Thunderbolt on April 23, targeting alleged PKK positions in northern Duhok province. The operation aims to establish a military base to stop PKK movements between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey as well as Syria. Residents of several villages, including Kesta where one of the roads was built, have fled their homes because of the conflict.
Local residents, speaking on condition of anonymity, have told Rudaw that some of the trees were taken across the border to be sold.
On Tuesday, Duhok Governor Ali Tatar confirmed to Rudaw's Hawar Jalaladin that roads are being built into the Kurdistan Region, saying that in the process trees and stones are being removed.
Kurds on social media are condemning Turkey's actions, calling it "ecocide."
Hemin Hawrami, deputy speaker of the Kurdistan Regional Parliament, met with Turkey's Consul General Hakan Karacay on Tuesday.
In their meeting, Hawrami "expressed his grave concern about the harm caused to the lives and livelihoods of the villagers in the border area villages of Darkar, Bativa, and Kani Masi by the military conflict between Turkey and the PKK," read a statement from the parliament.
He called for the protection of natural resources and private property in the border region.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has also condemned Turkey's logging.
"The Kurdistan Regional Government expresses its concern and dissatisfaction at the Turkish government's deforestation and harm caused to the Kurdistan Region's environment, and it has officially warned Turkey to cease deforestation at the border areas, which is unacceptable," KRG spokesperson Jotiar Adil said in a statement that called on Turkey and the PKK to respect the sovereignty of the region.
The Iraqi and Kurdish agriculture ministries have similarly condemned Turkey, requesting international intervention.
On Sunday, the Turkish Defense Ministry said that Turkey shows "maximum sensitivity and attention" to civilians, the environment as well as historical and cultural sites during their operations.
Since 2015, more than 40 civilians have been killed in the Kurdistan Region as a result of the conflict between Turkey and the PKK. On
Tuesday, a civilian was injured by Turkish shelling of Kani Masi sub-district in Duhok province.
Hundreds of villages have been emptied during the decades of conflict.
The environment is also at risk from fires sparked by the conflict. Kurdistan Region's Forest Police and Environment Directorate last week told Rudaw English that more than 4,000 dunams of land and green spaces have been burned by Turkish bombardments in Duhok province so far this year.
The PKK is an armed Kurdish group seeking more rights for Kurds in Turkey. The group is mainly based in the mountain ranges of the Kurdistan Region.
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