Turkish-PKK fight forces evacuation of Christian village of Chalki in Duhok

The Turkish bombing often results in casualties among the local population, especially the villagers, and sometimes leads to loss of life. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
The Turkish bombing often results in casualties among the local population, especially the villagers, and sometimes leads to loss of life. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Residents of the Christian village of Chalki in Duhok province have been forced to flee their homes following the escalation of the armed conflict between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) around the Kurdistan Region’s border.

This is the latest wave of displacement recorded by the Kurdistan Region after the battles of the two warring parties caused the evacuation of dozens of other villages, the latest of which is Kesta located in the town of Amedi on the border with Turkey.

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Chalki, located in the Kani-Masi sub-district of ​​Dohuk province, is constantly exposed to Turkish bombardment, which Ankara claims targets the strongholds of the PKK.

The PKK is positioning in the vicinity of the village of Chalki, along with hundreds of other border villages. A Kurdistan 24 correspondent reported that the group has turned these outposts into launchpads for its armed attacks on the Turkish state. 

The people of the Christian village of Chalki were displaced about a month ago, and none of them have been able to return to their homes as the fight between Turkey and PKK intensified. Many of them have sheltered in the Bersif displacement camp in the border area of Zakho.

"We are tired of the situation and constantly living in displacement, Turkey and the PKK should fight on their lands," one woman displaced from Chalki told Kurdistan 24.

The residents of Chalki village say that the concentration of the PKK in their villages made them vulnerable to Turkish bombardment, which often causes household and material damage while causing severe casualties at other times.

"Our farms  dried up, we couldn't irrigate them because of the ongoing fight between Turkey and the PKK," said another Chalki, adding "most of our farms were burned because of the constant bombardments."

The local authorities announced recently that the evacuation of 20 border villages inhabited by Muslims and Christians was due to the bombing and the confrontations between Turkey and the PKK.

The PKK regularly launches attacks inside Turkey from its stronghold in the rugged mountainous areas along the border. Ankara has responded with airstrikes, artillery, and ground attacks on areas it says are dominated by the PKK, causing casualties among civilians. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has repeatedly asked the warring sides to avoid conflict in the Kurdistan Region.

Editing by Joanne Stocker-Kelly