The mountains, forests, and water springs have turned into war zones. Once, they were a tourist attraction and a hub for popular festivals celebrating nature. The songs of farmers and shepherds have fallen silent, replaced by the sounds of warplanes, artillery, and gunfire. This is the story of Iraqi Kurdish villages under Turkish bombardment.

While we were collecting testimonies from residents in areas occupied by the Turkish army, local civilians informed us that a young man had just been killed by gunfire from Turkish soldiers while walking with his friends in the forests of Mount Harur, near his village, Qamri. 

The victim, Sabah Abdul Sattar, was walking with two of his friends in the mountain forests just one kilometre from his village. 

The peak of Mount Harur, known as Kafarsur, meaning the Red Rock in Arabic, is controlled by the Turkish army, much like large areas of forests and mountains that Turkey has occupied since 2021. According to Kamiran Othman, Human Rights Officer at the Community Peacemaker Team Iraqi Kurdistan (CPT – IK)), who works in these regions, Turkish military sites are more than seven kilometres deep into the Iraqi-Turkish border, and they are equipped with heavy weapons and artillery. 

Othman confirmed to Jummar that, since the beginning of 2024, 18 civilians have been killed and four others injured during Turkish military operations in Kurdistan. 

In another village, Karvan Koharzi continues documenting the suffering endured by his community within these unstable security conditions to raise awareness about what they’re going through. “I live in my village, Koharaz, surrounded by worry and danger, with no guarantee of living in peace. We are more than 300 families. When we have a day without hearing explosions, artillery fire, or airstrikes, it feels strange because these sounds have become part of our daily lives.” 

Speaking to Jummar, Koharzi said he had documented the fall of more than 35 artillery shells within the village, which caused damage to homes and cars, alongside hundreds of shells landing in the village’s surrounding area. One of the most tragic scenes to behold, according to Koharzi, is children playing with shrapnel and remnants of bombs that are scattered around. 

“We’ve lost the essence of living amid nature, of enjoying our forests, the tweeting of birds, the sounds of wild animals, the songs of farmers working in the fields, the gurgling of water from springs, the bleating of sheep and livestock in the pastures, and the hum of tractors ploughing the land and transporting crops. Those sounds and scenes have shifted to images of warplanes hovering in the skies, accompanied by the sounds of artillery, shelling, and explosions. Despite all this, we try to continue our lives and keep living here for as long as we can.” 

In the Amadiya district, 70 kilometres north of Duhok city centre, specifically in the village of Barji, the only school was shut down after a drone crashed into it. The incident terrified students, leaving residents— 250 families living in the village —with little choice but to stop their children from attending school. 

We visited the village and spoke with Lazkin Barji, a prominent figure in the community. He talked about the suffering of residents caused by the indiscriminate shelling between the Turkish military and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Barji stated, “We have informed the authorities in Amadiya district, urging them to take action and put an end to the violations committed by both the Turkish forces and PKK fighters.” 

Barji stressed that living under such circumstances is extremely difficult. “Living a normal life has become very challenging. The moment we leave the borders of our village, Turkish forces start shooting us. Throughout the night, the roar of artillery doesn’t stop, shaking the buildings and windows. The cries of children and women pierce the sky. It feels as if the gates of hell have opened upon us.” 

Barji complained about the PKK fighters who attacked the Turkish army. “They often try to position themselves near our village, which has turned into a battleground between the two sides,” he said. “The PKK ignore the villagers’ repeated efforts to convince them to leave the village and to stop it from becoming a battleground.” 

Barji described to Jummar how the ongoing conflict has impacted their social connections with relatives and acquaintances in other areas. “Our relatives and friends from other regions refuse to visit us out of fear for their safety, even during social occasions like weddings, funerals, and holidays.” 

Barji often contemplates leaving the village and moving to the city. However, his financial situation makes it difficult to afford rent and other costs associated with living outside the village. 

Problems for the residents of these villages and border areas between Iraq and Turkey began in the mid-1980s when the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) launched armed activities against the Turkish army in pursuit of achieving autonomy for the Kurds in Turkey. 

This conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, the destruction of hundreds of villages, and the displacement of large numbers of residents. The conflict grew to include the border areas on the Iraqi side, where people, mountains, and forests form a shared geography between Iraq and Turkey. 

The PKK is an armed organisation classified as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union (EU). Its armed activities in northern Iraq have evolved into a state of continuous war with the Turkish army, a conflict that has impacted Iraqi citizens living in these areas. 

Othman revealed to Jummar that Turkey has established 74 military sites in Kurdistan, most of them in Dohuk. These sites are located 5 to 35 kilometres deep inside Iraqi territory, and all the Turkish sites are interconnected through a network of military roads. 

The village of Sarkli lies at the foothills of Mount Matin, in Amadiya district, north of Duhok, around 40 kilometres from the Iraqi-Turkish border. Recently, the Turkish military has established several military outposts on Mount Matin, one of the largest mountains in Duhok, standing 1,900 meters above sea level. Since the establishment of Turkish military positions, several armed clashes between the Turkish army and PKK fighters have taken plan in the mountains. 

Since the beginning of 2024, Turkish artillery has not ceased firing. Shelling and battles have continued in and around Sarkli, as described by Subhi Sarkli, a man in his seventies who lamented the loss of the farms and orchards of villagers. “We have nothing left here,” he told Jummar. “They destroyed our orchards, set fire to the forests, cut down oak, walnut, and gazwan trees, dried up the springs and irrigation streams, cut off our water supply, and even prevented us from visiting our dead in the village cemetery.” 

These conditions have made life difficult. The daily activities of 60 families in this village have become almost impossible, and venturing beyond the village is a dangerous gamble. Sarkli, once surrounded by natural beauty—mountains, valleys, trees, springs, orchards—has become an open-air prison for its residents. This transformation followed the recent establishment of a Turkish military outpost on Mount Matin, overlooking the village from the east. 

On the western side, PKK fighters have taken refuge in Sarkli Valley. The two sides exchange artillery fire, machine-gun rounds, and grenades, spreading fear among civilians. Shells and bullets regularly hit livestock pens, village alleys, and the walls of homes. 

For Sarkawt Mohammed, a thirty-something resident of Sarkli, fear is everywhere in the village. He told Jummar, “We never know when a shell will fall, injuring one of us with its shrapnel. The clashes between PKK fighters and Turkish forces have turned our village into a battlefield.” 

Sarkawt cannot work in the fields or tend to his sheep due to the risk of being targeted, as the random skirmishes persist day and night. He confirmed to Jummar that, in recent times, the Turkish army has shelled several locations within the village, including the mosque, the school, and a poultry farm. “We are trapped. Stepping beyond the borders of our village is a gamble,” he said. 

According to Othman, the number of civilian casualties due to Turkish military operations has reached 711 people, dead and injured, over the past 30 years. Among them, 306 victims were in Duhok alone. In addition to the human toll, there have been significant material losses, including burning and destroying orchards, farms, natural forests, infrastructure, and services. More than 400 villages in Duhok remain unreconstructed due to the ongoing security situation. 

The war has had catastrophic consequences across multiple sectors, including cultural and social aspects. The Turkish military controls several historical sites, most notably the ancient Qamri Fortress, which dates back over 1,900 years. The customs and traditions that once defined the region’s people have largely disappeared. Annual cultural festivals, which were a hallmark of the local heritage—such as the celebration of Nowruz—have become a thing of the past due to security concerns. According to Othman, the Turkish artillery targeted one of these events in Bamarni, sub-district of Amadiya, about three years ago. 

According to statistics from Dohuk, 274 villages in the province have been evacuated due to ongoing battles between the Turkish army and PKK. Of these, 250 villages are in Amadiya District, 24 in Aqrah District, and 47 in Zakho. These conflicts have completely hindered the development of and services in some border villages in the province, particularly in Amadiya District. 

In August 2024, Iraq and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding for military and security cooperation and combating terrorism. The memorandum includes key provisions, most notably eliminating the security threats posed by terrorist groups to the authority, security, and territorial integrity of both countries. It also includes terminating Turkey’s military presence on Iraqi territory. 

Zirvan Barwari, an advisor at the London Centre for Training and Strategic Studies (LCTSS), believes that the continuation of the conflict between the PKK and Turkey within Iraqi territory is due to the weakness of the Iraqi state and its inability to assert dominance and protect its international borders. 

According to Barwari, ongoing Turkish military operations within Iraq, along with the increase in Turkish military bases and their penetration into wide geographical areas deep inside Iraq, will lead to political instability and disruption in both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region (KRI). He said the Iraqi state must establish regional and political relations with Turkey and assert its national authority using diplomacy. Furthermore, Iraq should pursue strategic security cooperation with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to reach a shared framework that can serve Iraq’s wider interests and protect the security and stability of Kurdistan. In turn, this will reflect positively on Iraq as a whole. 

Barwari also told Jummar, “Iraq has many leverage points to limit Turkish military intrusion, including the economic option. There is significant economic exchange between Iraq and Turkey. Iraq can impose its security and political agenda on Turkey by utilising this leverage.” 

Turkish military bases have been present in Kurdistan since mid-1990s. These bases were initially limited to certain areas within Duhok. However, in recent years, Turkey expanded its military bases to include several places in both Erbil and Duhok while constructing a network of roads connecting its military system. 

Barwari said that the increase in Turkish military bases in Kurdistan signifies a regional Turkish policy to expand its political and security influence. He noted that Turkey is unlikely to withdraw its military forces or reduce its presence and bases in Iraqi territory shortly for two reasons: first, the influence and expansionist ambitions inherent in Turkish policy, and second, the weakness of Iraq’s position and its inability to assert its decisions in foreign policy and protect its borders. 

The conflict between the Turkish army and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) could escalate if Turkey gains control over Mount Gara, located within the borders of Amadiya. Such a development would result in the displacement of residents from 39 villages located at the mountain’s foothills, and approximately 75 percent of the strategic areas in Duhok would fall under Turkish military control.