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Filmed on June 13, 2021. Video submitted to Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Villagers in northern Duhok witnessed intense clashes between the Turkish military and Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) on Sunday night.
Turkish forces and the PKK were engaged in a fierce battle for more than an hour near the village of Hiror in Kani Masi sub-district.
"After 9:00 pm Turkish warplanes bombed Qomri valley. After 10:00 pm, the Turkish army launched helicopter airstrikes on Hiror village," Eyad Hirori, who lives in the village, told Rudaw on Sunday. "Fire broke out in the area, and the bombardment continued."
There were no casualties in the village, Hassan Ahmed, a student from the village, told Rudaw English on Monday.
The PKK is an armed Kurdish group that has fought the Turkish state for decades, seeking increased rights of Kurds. It has bases in the Kurdistan Region mountains. Ankara considers it a threat to its national security and frequently sends fighter jets, attack helicopters, drones, and ground troops across the border to fight the group.
In late April, Turkey launched Operations Claw-Lightning and Claw-Thunderbolt against the PKK in the Metina and Avashin areas of northern Duhok, near the border. A goal of the operation is to block PKK movements between its bases in the Kurdistan Region and Turkey and Syria.
In May, the Turkish army set up at least one outpost near Hiror.
"The Turkish army once entered the village to tell residents they don't need to leave their homes because they won't be harmed. The Hiror villagers are so courageous that they would not evacuate their village,” the student Ahmed said.
The conflict has, however, driven away tourists from Hiror.
Turkish forces and the PKK were engaged in a fierce battle for more than an hour near the village of Hiror in Kani Masi sub-district.
"After 9:00 pm Turkish warplanes bombed Qomri valley. After 10:00 pm, the Turkish army launched helicopter airstrikes on Hiror village," Eyad Hirori, who lives in the village, told Rudaw on Sunday. "Fire broke out in the area, and the bombardment continued."
There were no casualties in the village, Hassan Ahmed, a student from the village, told Rudaw English on Monday.
The PKK is an armed Kurdish group that has fought the Turkish state for decades, seeking increased rights of Kurds. It has bases in the Kurdistan Region mountains. Ankara considers it a threat to its national security and frequently sends fighter jets, attack helicopters, drones, and ground troops across the border to fight the group.
In late April, Turkey launched Operations Claw-Lightning and Claw-Thunderbolt against the PKK in the Metina and Avashin areas of northern Duhok, near the border. A goal of the operation is to block PKK movements between its bases in the Kurdistan Region and Turkey and Syria.
In May, the Turkish army set up at least one outpost near Hiror.
"The Turkish army once entered the village to tell residents they don't need to leave their homes because they won't be harmed. The Hiror villagers are so courageous that they would not evacuate their village,” the student Ahmed said.
The conflict has, however, driven away tourists from Hiror.
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