Turkey has intensified military operations in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region despite the PKK’s unilateral ceasefire announced in March following Abdullah Ocalan’s call for disarmament. Community Peacemaker Teams reports 118 Turkish attacks in March alone, complicating peace efforts while civilians face displacement and danger.
Rising Tensions Amid Peace Calls
The situation in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region has grown increasingly complex since PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan’s historic February announcement calling for the group to “integrate with the state and society” and “lay down their arms.” Despite the PKK declaring a unilateral ceasefire on March 1 in response to this call, US-based Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT) documented 118 Turkish military attacks in Kurdistan during March alone.
The geographic distribution of these attacks shows a concerning pattern: 55 occurred in Erbil province (a 120% increase from February), 51 in Duhok province, and 12 in Sulaymaniyah province. Since the beginning of 2024, Turkey has conducted 404 attacks and bombings in the region, resulting in two civilian deaths and four injuries. Environmental damage has also been reported, with Turkish forces using TNT to destroy five caves.
Civilian Impact and Displacement
Residents of northern Duhok province have reported heavy clashes between Turkish forces and PKK fighters, severely restricting freedom of movement. “The bombardment was very intense,” said Fayeq Balavai, a resident of the Niheli area in Amedi district. Videos obtained by Rudaw news confirmed the severity of these attacks.
The ongoing conflict has caused mass displacement, with locals lamenting that “there is no life left, and our villages are becoming abandoned.” According to CPT’s March report, the conflict has led to the “full or partial” displacement of 1,190 villages and claimed 721 civilian lives as of March 2024. The Kurdistan Region continues to serve as a battleground where Turkey and the PKK settle scores, with local civilians bearing the brunt of this decades-long conflict.
Uncertain Path to Peace
Despite Ocalan’s call for disarmament, neither the Turkish government nor the PKK has taken concrete steps toward peace. The PKK has stated it cannot fully dissolve without Ocalan’s physical presence at an official congress to ratify such a decision. CPT noted that the “Turkish government has made no comment about how Turkey would support a peace process and the reintegration of PKK members.”
In a significant development, Ocalan received his cousin Omer at Turkey’s Imrali prison in late March, where he conveyed Newroz and Eid al-Fitr greetings and stated, “I salute our people’s passionate embrace of the call for peaceful and democratic society during Newroz.” This visit, Ocalan’s first since October 23, came after false reports of his death and amid his continued imprisonment since 1999.
While Ocalan’s February message sparked hope for resolving a conflict that has claimed 40,000 lives, Turkey has intensified its operations against the PKK, particularly in Duhok province, with the stated goal of cutting the Kurdish armed group off from Turkish borders. CPT has called on both sides to end their disputes through active participation in the peace process and to stop endangering civilian lives and security in the Kurdistan Region.
