SOUTH KURDISTAN, — The Ministry of Peshmerge (Kurdish fighters) of the autonomous region of Kurdistan has denounced the bombing of “civilian areas” by the Turkish Air Force since Wednesday, while committed to exercise its right of self-defense in case of attack against the Kurdish region. The Kurds in Turkey tomorrow form a human shield on the border to protest against the bombing.
AREAS OF THE PKK
PKK areas extend for hundreds of miles between Turkey, Iran and Iraq, covering seven areas: Qendil, Metin, Zap, Xakurke, Xinere, Haftanin and Zagros. The guerrillas have no fixed camps, and most of PKK fighters are inside the Turkish border.
Turkey has launched 25 cross-border land operations against the PKK, which premiered in 1983 and the last in February 2008. The goal of each operation was the final liquidation of the PKK, but the PKK, has emerged stronger after each ground, winning the sympathy of millions of Kurds in all parts of Kurdistan and Europe.
352 GOALS BY ARMY BOMBS
Turkish warplanes bombed 28 targets and artillery pounded 96 others in the region during the attacks Thursday, according to the Turkish military authorities, who claim to be “attention to the protection of civilians.” The Turkish army said it had struck 60 goals on Wednesday night by aircraft and 168 others by artillery.
BOMBING OF THE KURDISH VILLAGES
“There are several villages in the bombed areas and the inhabitants of those villages are civilian,” said senior Kurdish. “The attacks result in the destruction of several houses of the villagers, killing their livestock, causing damage on farms and forcing the inhabitants to leave their homes.”
According to local sources, the bombing on August 19 at 9:30 Qendil area caused the fire in the farms of the village of Kozin, causing extensive damage and depriving people of electricity. During the August 17 bombing against the village of Zargele in the region of Qendil, a house was destroyed.
Kwestan Ahmed, the head of the region of Werte, always Qendil, said homes built far from the villages by the residents were the target of attacks by the Turkish Air Force, agency quoted Kurdish Firat. “It’s cruel,” he said, saying the attacks have caused extensive damage in the villages.
THE PROBLEM IS POLITICAL, NOT MILITARY
The Secretary General of the Ministry of Peshmerge has warned that the Kurdish government undertakes to exercise its right of self defense in case of attack against the Kurdish region. “As a Kurdish government, we consider these attacks as a violation of the rights of our citizens. We believe that this problem will never be solved by airstrikes and artillery. This is a political problem and ultimately it will be resolved through dialogue, according to the federal government of Kurdistan. “
HUMAN SCHIELD AGAINST BOMBING
The Kurds of Turkey will form Saturday, 20 August a human shield against the bombing, organizing a march to the border of the autonomous region of Kurdistan. This is the fourth human shield action since 2004. The march will begin Saturday in Hakkari and Sirnak, two border towns.
PREPARATIONS MILITARISM ON FRONTIRE IRANIAN
Moreover, the Iranian army deployed reinforcements on the border with Iraq, Kurdish sources said. July 16, the Iranian regime had launched a major operation in coordination with Turkey along the border under the pretext of fighting the PJAK, the Free Life Party of Kurdistan.
At least three Kurdish civilians, including a ten year old child, were killed by shelling the villages of Iranian Hajj Omran Sidekan and, in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan. Eleven other civilians were injured, 35 villages and damaged hundreds of people displaced, according to Kurdish authorities.