Following the announcement by the Ministry of Migration and Displacement of its intention to close the file on the return of displaced persons and end the existence of camps, Iraq is expected to witness a new wave of displacement due to the ongoing Turkish bombardment in the north of the country.
Turkish military strikes on the positions of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have forced residents of the Sidkan area in the Kurdistan Region, particularly farmers and livestock breeders, to move to safer pastures, although they insist on returning to save their livelihoods. Dozens of farmers and livestock breeders have approached the Sidkan district office in Erbil, confirming their determination not to abandon their jobs despite the ongoing threat from airstrikes, drones, and artillery. They requested permission to continue working.
They expressed their concerns about rising temperatures in the lowlands and requested permission to return to the cooler highlands, which are more suitable for agriculture and grazing. Permits have been issued for the entry of 1,403 families of livestock breeders, farmers, and beekeepers into the region's highlands. Turkish bombardments of PKK positions can be heard daily in the highlands. Tensions in these areas are escalating as the Turkish army continues its incursion into the Kurdistan Region.
The head of the Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee, Karim Aliwi Al-Mohammedi, stated that there is a blatant Turkish intervention in northern Iraq, emphasizing that "this intervention is unsatisfactory for the Iraqi people and government." He added, "It is true that there are agreements with the Turkish side that allow for limited intervention within Iraqi territory, and there is Kurdish opposition to the Turkish government; this is what has been agreed upon by the Iraqi and Turkish governments. However, what we see today is a blatant intervention in northern Iraq."
He confirmed that "large parts of Dohuk Province are occupied, which constitutes a serious situation," noting that "the Security and Defense Committee rejects this Turkish intervention." He stressed that the Foreign Ministry should summon the Turkish ambassador and deliver a letter of protest to the Turkish government, indicating the Iraqi people's discontent with these actions. He stated, "We express our strong objection to this intervention, and we see that there are Turkish checkpoints within Iraqi territory to inspect citizens, which is completely unacceptable." He pointed out that "the Iraqi government must put an end to these violations occurring in northern Iraq."
Kurdish politician Ahmed Hama Jaafar stated that "seven villages and towns around Dohuk have witnessed the displacement of dozens of families in the past four days due to the escalating air and artillery bombardments and Turkish drones." He added that "the scenario of a full-scale invasion of wide areas around Dohuk looms on the horizon," emphasizing that "the authorities in the Kurdistan Region are concealing the real numbers of displaced families."
He noted that "Turkish forces are now roaming military convoys in several areas and towns in Dohuk Province," calling for "the central government in Baghdad to take a clear stance regarding the Turkish violations." The highlands of Sidkan are known for their fertile pastures, but due to the ongoing fighting and instability between Turkey and the PKK, livestock breeders, farmers, and beekeepers have been unable to access them for two years.
