Displaced Kurdish villagers in northern Iraq are hopeful for a return home following the PKK’s recent ceasefire announcement in its long-standing conflict with Turkey. This may facilitate stability in a region affected by violence and displacement due to ongoing military operations against the PKK. Many residents express hope for unity among Kurdish factions to achieve lasting peace, despite past failures in ceasefire attempts.
The Kurdish villagers of northern Iraq have experienced displacement due to ongoing conflicts between Turkish forces and Kurdish militants. Amid this turmoil, hopes have surfaced for their return home following the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) declaring a ceasefire in its 40-year insurgency against Turkey. This declaration, made by imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan, may signal a potential shift towards peace and stability in the region that borders Iraq and Turkey.
Many villages in Iraq’s northern semi-autonomous Kurdish region have been vacated as Turkish airstrikes targeted PKK positions, displacing thousands of civilians. Adil Tahir Qadir, who fled his original home in 1988 during Saddam Hussein’s regime, resides in a relocated village yet cannot return to farm his land due to ongoing military activities. He expresses a longing to return, hoping the current ceasefire proves to be a turning point.
The conflict has devastated communities, particularly in Amedi, Iraq’s Dohuk province, where a 2020 study noted that around 200 villages have been emptied due to fighting. In the new Barchi, in proximity to Mount Matin, residents rely on limited agricultural practices while living in constant fear of bombings. As Salih Shino describes, the everyday reality includes near-constant aerial bombardment, making normal life impossible.
Discussions surrounding the PKK and its actions remain sensitive, given its classification as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies. Nonetheless, Iraqi Kurdish villagers desire unity among Kurdish factions to ensure progress in peace negotiations. Ahmad Saadullah nostalgically recalls the self-sufficient lifestyle of the 1970s, contrasting it with the current reliance on government aid amid an environment of violence.
Farooq Safar recounts a harrowing experience when a drone strike damaged his home, emphasizing the pervasive anxiety among residents. Despite the ceasefire announcement, skepticism remains due to past failures in peace agreements. Many, including Safar, hope this time will yield a lasting change for stability and security in the region.
The recent ceasefire declaration by the PKK has ignited hopes among displaced Kurdish villagers in northern Iraq for a return to their homes and a restoration of stability in the region. While the path to lasting peace remains uncertain, the desire for collective unity and a resolution to the longstanding conflict is strong. The community’s resilience in the face of adversity highlights their longing for a better future, even amidst skepticism regarding previous peace initiatives.
Original Source: www.independent.co.uk
