An American organization has warned of a military operation that Turkey intends to carry out along the border, particularly in Mount Kara, during this spring. It states that this poses a danger to the lives of 190 families in 39 villages. A member of the organization has indicated that the operation will be executed using fighter jets, drones, and helicopters. The Community Peacemakers’ Teams (CPT), which focuses on violations of the borders of the Kurdistan Region by Turkey and Iran, published a report titled "Complete Closure of the Borders: Turkey's Military Operation of Spring 2024 in the Depth of the Kurdistan Region," which includes a collection of information about the anticipated Turkish military operation.
**64 Military Bases Within the Kurdistan Region**
The CPT report states: "After seven air and ground military operations by the Turkish army between December 2017 and April 2022, Turkey has occupied 86.2% of the border between Iraq and Turkey, extending 40 km deep, and has established 64 military bases within the Kurdistan Region." Regarding the details of the expected military operation, the organization mentioned: "Turkey aims through its anticipated operation to control the Kara mountain range, with the goal of completely closing the border between the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and Turkey and eliminating the movements of PKK fighters and their presence in the Kara mountain range entirely."
According to the report, Turkey is currently preparing for the military operation and at this stage is bombarding villages around Mount Kara. "In the preliminary phase to the official announcement of the operation, Turkey has launched numerous bombing operations, and during the first 70 days of 2024, Turkey carried out 141 bombing operations within Duhok province, targeting 75 of the villages surrounding Mount Kara."
**Goals of the Bombing and Attacks**
Regarding the goal of the bombings and attacks, the American organization stated: "To pressure the residents of the villages surrounding Mount Kara to evacuate their villages, which facilitates Turkey in executing its operation and occupying a larger area of the region." The organization noted that the mentioned Turkish bombings resulted in the death of four citizens and left another seriously injured.
The organization described Mount Kara as a strategic area "that serves as the main route for the movement of PKK fighters in the region and connects the provinces of Erbil and Duhok," in addition to the transformation of caves and valleys in this mountain range into shelters for training and hiding a large number of PKK fighters.
**Information About Mount Kara**
According to the Community Peacemakers’ Teams (CPT), the height of Mount Kara is 2,251 meters above sea level, connecting the districts of Miraka Sur, Aqrah, Amadiyah, and Zakho over a distance of 38.9 km. There are 94 villages on the slopes of the mountain, of which 55 were evacuated in 1996 due to Turkish bombings and invasions of the area, leaving only 39 villages in the vicinity of the mountain.
A member of the Kurdistan Iraq team of CPT, Kamran Osman, said regarding the operation: "The name of the operation is not yet known, but it generally falls within the framework of the 'Claw-Lock' operation, and information indicates that Turkey intends to initiate bombing operations with fighter jets first, then monitor the region with drones for the purpose of deploying its soldiers to the mountain using helicopters." He pointed out that the purpose of the Turkish operation is "to control Mount Kara and eliminate the presence of the PKK in the region."
The organization warned that the Turkish operation threatens the displacement of 190 families from the villages surrounding Mount Kara and could harm the residents of the region. In conclusion, the Community Peacemakers’ Teams (CPT) called on the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Iraqi government, and the international community to take action to protect the lives of the residents of the villages and civilian citizens in the vicinity of Mount Kara and all border villages.
