Turkish shelling, bombing force people in Kurdistan Region to flee

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Due to renewed armed clashes between PKK fighters and the Turkish army in mountainous areas of the Kurdistan Region, people from five villages fled on Friday. 

Heavy clashes broke out on Friday between Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) guerillas and Turkish soldiers near the villages of Lilkan, Khalifan, Gorasha, Tarakan and Nawmergan in Sidakan town.

Ihsan Chalabi, the mayor of Sidakan, told Rudaw that the fighting began at 1:30 p.m., forcing residents of five villages in fear of their lives to leave and flee to his town.

Sidakan is 90 kilometers northeast of Erbil in Soran district.

“Since last night, Turkish surveillance jets have been observing the area,” Chalabi said.

He added Turkish soldiers faced resistance from PKK fighters, as they tried to cross the Kurdistan Region’s borders.

The Sidakan region has been affected by the Turkey-PKK conflict since Ankara accelerated its campaign in March.

Previous attacks have resulted in the killing of civilians in the region. 

As part of its military operation against the PKK in the Kurdistan Region's northern mountainous areas, the Turkish army has pushed at times 15 kilometers deep into the Region, occupying at least 30 villages.

The PKK, named a terror organization in Turkey, has its headquarters in Kurdistan’s Qandil Mountains. The PKK is an armed group fighting for greater political and minority rights in Turkey.