Turkiye restricts return of villagers in Duhok

Shafaq News – Duhok

Turkish forces on Saturday barred displaced families from entering their village and farmland in the Matina Mountain area of Amedi district, preventing them from harvesting summer crops.

Residents of Koherzi, abandoned years ago during clashes between the Turkish army and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), told Shafaq News they were stopped by a Turkish unit as they attempted to return. Village head Ahmed Saadallah said more than 40 people were turned back by around 20 soldiers and an armored vehicle, which declared the area a “closed military zone.” After two hours of negotiations, the villagers were forced to withdraw. He added that Koherzi is now almost destroyed, its farmland burned, and the economic lifeline of its people lost.

In nearby Mount Gara, families from Spindari, Mzhi, and Kawna Mzhi villages said they revisited their lands for the first time in three years but found only ruins, scorched orchards, and collapsed homes. Despite the halt in fighting, restrictions remain in place, blocking their return.

Although the PKK has announced steps toward disarmament, Turkish military positions remain across parts of the Kurdistan Region, continuing to restrict civilian movement in several areas.