Duhok Governor Urges PKK to Withdraw from Villages and Mountains to Restore Normalcy
Governor Tatar said, "Duhok is the hardest-hit area in Kurdistan due to the PKK-Turkey conflict, with nearly 30% of its villages destroyed and uninhabitable."
By Ahora Qadi
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Duhok Governor Ali Tatar on Thursday called on the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to withdraw its fighters from populated villages and mountainous regions, blaming the group’s armed presence for the prolonged displacement of civilians and the destruction of hundreds of villages across the governorate.
Speaking at a press conference, Governor Tatar stated, “Duhok is the most affected area in the Kurdistan Region due to the ongoing armed conflict between the PKK and the Turkish military. Nearly 30% of the villages in the governorate have been destroyed and are completely uninhabited.”
Three Decades of Displacement
According to Tatar, thousands of residents have been unable to return to their ancestral lands for over 38 years due to persistent security threats and the entrenched armed presence in the border regions. “The main obstacle to the return of the villagers lies in the policies adopted by the PKK,” he said.
The governor emphasized that many villages, particularly those near the Gara and Metina mountains, remain trapped in a state of limbo, with reconstruction and development efforts stalled due to continued military tensions.
Call for De-escalation and Peace
Tatar urged the PKK to evacuate the areas they currently control, saying that doing so would pave the way for displaced families to return and resume their lives. “This is not just a political issue—it is a humanitarian and developmental priority,” he stated.
He welcomed any initiative aimed at halting hostilities and reaffirmed the Duhok administration’s support for efforts toward peace between Ankara and the PKK. “Stability and reconstruction depend on a lasting ceasefire,” he added.
Reconstruction Underway, But Progress Hinges on Stability
Governor Tatar noted that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has already launched a series of reconstruction projects in conflict-affected areas. These include the rehabilitation of the Balind Valley road leading to the Nerwa-Rekan subdistrict and infrastructure development in several villages on the slopes of Gara and Metina.
However, he clarified that full-scale reconstruction in severely damaged areas such as Doski Zor and Reqan remains contingent on tangible progress in the peace process between the warring parties.
“Duhok’s villagers deserve to return home, farm their land, and raise their families in peace,” Tatar concluded, reiterating his call for an end to the armed conflict that has long disrupted life in the region’s mountainous borderlands.
