PKK detains relatives of Zargali airstrike victims
SORAN, Kurdistan Region—The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has detained relatives of the victims who died in a Turkish airstrike in August in the remote village of Zargali on the border of the Kurdistan region with Turkey.
Salim Khider and Jegir Jabar who lost members of their families in the Turkish bombing were among a group of locals arrested by PKK guerrillas in the area on Sunday. The village’s mukhtar , or leader, Ismail Abdulla was also detained for questioning, allegedly because he and the other men made anti-PKK statements in the media, relatives told Rudaw.
The three detainees had earlier blamed PKK for the Turkish airstrikes, saying the group’s military activities in the region endangered the security of locals.
Turkish aircrafts and drones have carried out nearly daily missions inside Kurdistan region, targeting nearby PKK bases some located close to villages since a tentative ceasefire was broken in July.
Eight people were killed in Zargali on August 1 in an intense airstrike that leveled most of the village. Zargali has been empty since then and the Turkish government has promised an investigation into the incident.
The two detainees had asked the PKK to leave the area so that the villagers could return to their homes. The PKK has said its bases are more than 400 meters away from the Zargali and other villages for security reasons.
No immediate response from the PKK was available and the group’s spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by Rudaw.
The mayor of township of Warte, near Zargali, told Rudaw they have been in contact with the group to secure the release of the detainees.
Saman Muhammad said the three men were arrested at a PKK checkpoint and their families had been informed.
Salim Khider and Jegir Jabar who lost members of their families in the Turkish bombing were among a group of locals arrested by PKK guerrillas in the area on Sunday. The village’s mukhtar , or leader, Ismail Abdulla was also detained for questioning, allegedly because he and the other men made anti-PKK statements in the media, relatives told Rudaw.
The three detainees had earlier blamed PKK for the Turkish airstrikes, saying the group’s military activities in the region endangered the security of locals.
Turkish aircrafts and drones have carried out nearly daily missions inside Kurdistan region, targeting nearby PKK bases some located close to villages since a tentative ceasefire was broken in July.
Eight people were killed in Zargali on August 1 in an intense airstrike that leveled most of the village. Zargali has been empty since then and the Turkish government has promised an investigation into the incident.
The two detainees had asked the PKK to leave the area so that the villagers could return to their homes. The PKK has said its bases are more than 400 meters away from the Zargali and other villages for security reasons.
No immediate response from the PKK was available and the group’s spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by Rudaw.
The mayor of township of Warte, near Zargali, told Rudaw they have been in contact with the group to secure the release of the detainees.
Saman Muhammad said the three men were arrested at a PKK checkpoint and their families had been informed.