"As of now, our offices in Qaladze, Raparin, Koya and Kifri have been shut down and today the security forces surrounded our office in Kalar asking us to leave," said Mohammed Abdulla, the co-chair of the Tavgari Azadi.
Forces loyal to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) dominate Sulaimani province and answer to the government. The PKK presence in Iraq increasingly faces pressure by Washington, Ankara, and Baghdad.
"We are determined not to abandon our offices,” said Abdulla. Most of the aforementioned towns and cities are shielded by mountains.
Abdulla confirmed there have been no clashes between security agencies and their members.
"Only two of our friends were arrested and later freed in Qaladze," he explained.
Negotiations typically prevent intra-Kurdistani party disagreements from turning violent. Often loyalists to different parties live in the same areas without quarrel.
"Those forces who have come to close our shelters say they have order from their superiors. We do not know: What do they mean by superiors?"
Tavgari Azadi has a party license from Baghdad, but not from the regional capital of Erbil.
Orders to close their offices "are on the grounds that we do not carry a license while we have applied for licenses from the KRG for 3 years and 10 months, but they do not respond. We are officially registered with the Iraq’s elections commission body, and we are official."
Neither the Asayesh in Sulaimani nor the KRG interior ministry has issued a statement on the matter.
However, a few days ago Qubad Talabani, the KRG deputy prime minister, ordered the closure of offices belonging to all parties not licensed in the Kurdistan Region — even if they are registered in Baghdad.
Tavgari Azadi was established in October 2014. It has 10 offices across the Kurdistan Region, eight of which are in Sulaimani and Garmiyan, one in Kirkuk and another in Tuz Khurmatu.
The party ran on a joint list with the New Generation in the disputed areas obtaining a seat in the Iraqi parliament's election on May 12.
Sulaimani Asayesh also on Wednesday barred the screening of a film about Kurdish prisoners in Turkey, according to the director of the cinema. The move comes amid apparent moves against PKK-affiliates in the province.
The PKK is a banned political party in Turkey that is headquartered in the Qandil mountains in Erbil province. It has fought an off-and-on sometimes armed conflict against the Turkish state seeking greater political, cultural, and minority rights.
PKK fighters participated in the defense of Shingal in 2014 and Kirkuk in 2017. Turkey actively targets PKK bases in the mountainous Kurdistan Region with its army and air force.
Turkey: Move by PUK is the right one
Turkey's consul general to Erbil welcomed the actions in Sulaimani.
"Undoubtedly, the move made by the PUK is the right one," Hakan Karacay said, describing the party as a "terrorist organization."
Turkey readily designates any party or entity with contact with the PKK as so.
"Naturally, the resolving terror question will be great support for bilateral relations..." he added.
Turkey has effectively isolated Sulaimani by closing its airspace to any flights directly to or from Sulaymaniyah International Airport.
Baghdad imposed an international flight ban on the Kurdistan Region’s airports following its independence referendum in September 2017. The Iraqi government lifted the ban in March this year.
Update: 1:12 p.m.
