ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Goats and sheep belonging to local farmers were killed when Turkey bombed the vicinity of two villages in Duhok province on Thursday afternoon, a local official has confirmed to Rudaw.
The Turkish airforce struck an animal farm located between the villages of Mizhe and Spindar, with a local villager confirming there were no farmers or shepherds present at the time.
Peshmerga forces near the area prevented some villagers from visiting their land after the bombardment due to security reasons, Rudaw has learned.
“Since 5am, the areas between Mizhe and Spindar have been intensely bombarded four times by Turkish planes,” Ismail Mustafa, the mayor of the nearby town of Amedi, told Rudaw.
“There have not been any casualties from these two villages but people have been terrified because 30 families live in Mizhe, and there are 12 families in Spindar,” he added.
The exact amount of damage caused by Thursday’s bombardment is currently unknown. A team will investigate the damage when security improves, according to Mustafa.
Footage submitted to Rudaw shows a dog being freed by villagers after it became trapped underground due to the bombardment.
Villagers in Duhok province rescued a dog on Thursday afternoon after becoming stuck underground due to Turkish bombardment of an animal farm.
— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) June 24, 2021
Scores of goats and sheep were killed in the bombardment.
Video: submitted pic.twitter.com/QjjIMeQRqM
The presence of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters in these areas has led to Turkish bombardments, preventing people from visiting their land “although they have to irrigate their farms,” said Mustafa.
The PKK is an armed group struggling for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey. It is regarded as a terrorist organization by Ankara which regularly attacks the group at home and inside the Kurdistan Region. Turkey’s latest two military operations against the PKK in Duhok province were launched in late April.
