Christian Villages in Iraqi Kurdistan Evacuated Following Turkish Army Attack
Seven Christian-populated villages in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have been evacuated following recent attacks by the Turkish military.
Mikhail Markhabi, mayor of the village of Misca in Bravar Alia, stated that in addition to their village, six other Christian-populated villages have also been evacuated. According to his statement, the villages of Malkhta, Kari, Sardashti, Halwa, Dara Dostina, and Balok have been emptied due to recent military clashes between the Turkish military and the PKK.
According to investigations conducted, each of the aforementioned villages housed between 10 to 15 families, who have now relocated to other areas. Mikhail Markhabi spoke about the dangers of this war, saying: “This war threatens our lives and some of these villages have burned down. Fire has engulfed much of the mountainous areas of the Bravar Alia region, and 85 percent of these villages have been burned to the extent that we cannot even endure staying in these villages for an hour.”
According to reports from Rudaw, there are only 32 predominantly Christian villages in Bravar Alia, some of which have Muslim residents as well, living alongside one another. In the village of Misca, only 11 Christian families along with one Muslim family had remained, but with intensified bombings, they too have abandoned their homes.
Based on statistics released by the CPT organization, following the Turkish military’s operations over the past week, other villages have been completely evacuated. In total, in Dohuk Province alone, 602 villages and 20 hectares of agricultural land have been burned, and the border areas of the province have been bombed 238 times.
