Iraqi villagers decry presence of PKK terrorists in their areas

By Anadolu staff

DUHOK, Iraq (AA) - Residents of Amedi and Duhok towns in Iraq are unable to access their villages and lands due to the presence of the terrorist organization PKK, affecting tourism and agriculture in the area.

The affected people called for an end to the presence of terrorists in the region.

According to them, the PKK terrorist organization in the region not only hinders people's access to villages but also dents sectors like agriculture and tourism.

Azad Amedi, a resident of Duhok, told Anadolu that the PKK has significantly impacted the villages in the region, forcing many people to relocate to the city center.

“Except for 4-5 villages, no one remains in the region, everyone moved to Duhok. We do not want these (terrorist organization PKK) foreign forces to stay here. We want people to return to their places,” said Amedi, describing Amedi town as Iraq's largest agriculture and animal husbandry district.

Stressing that people fear visiting certain villages and mountainous areas, he said the removal of the PKK terrorists could revive work and agricultural activities in the region.

Muhammad Shali from Amedi also highlighted the district's historical significance as an important tourist destination, saying tourism increases during the summer season.

“However, due to the presence of foreign forces (terrorist organization PKK) in our region, foreign tourists go as far as Erbil and Duhok but hesitate to come to our region. The same hesitation exists for local tourists and local people,” Shali said.

He urged powerful countries and authorities to address the issue for the revival of tourism and other business sectors in the region.

“Many agricultural products are made in the villages in the region, but hundreds of villages have been abandoned due to this issue. This means a blow to agriculture. People cannot visit their villages and work there because of the foreign forces’ (terrorist organization PKK) presence there.”

The Kurdistan Regional Government's Prime Minister Mesrur Barzani stated in February 2021 that the PKK's occupation of the region hindered the reconstruction of 800 villages and prevented farmers from accessing their lands.

*Writing by Gizem Nisa Cebi in Istanbul