BERJÎN KARA

Makhmour- Residents of the Martyr Rustem Cudi Camp (Makhmour Refugee Camp), who had to leave their villages and houses in the 90s due to oppression of the Turkish state and settled in the camp, have been targeted by the Turkish state for years. Since 2017, many people have been killed and injured in the Turkish airstrikes on the camp.

Since July 17, 2019, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has been imposing an embargo on the camp. Seven pregnant women died in the camp because they could not go to hospital due to the embargo.

The Turkish state and the KDP, which uses all inhuman methods to depopulate the camp and take control of the camp, keep attacking the camp with the support of the Iraqi government. The Iraqi army attempted to surround the camp with wire fences and concrete blocks twice, on December 27, 2021 and May 20, 2023. The residents of the camp resisted for days and made the Iraqi army withdraw. The Turkish state has intensified its attacks on the camp, especially following the embargo imposed on the camp by the KDP since 2019.  The Turkish drones often fly over the camp.

The camp targeted three times in 10 days

In October 2023, the camp was targeted by the Turkish drones three times in 10 days. On October 7, Turkish drones targeted a mosque inside the camp, injuring a woman and two children.

No news received from five people

On October 13, Turkish drones targeted a house inside the camp, injuring a woman. On October 17, Turkish drones targeted a vehicle belonging to a family from the Makhmour refugee camp near the Koye town of Erbil. A young person identified as Dilovan İşlek was killed and three women were injured in the attack. On the same day, five residents of the camp were detained by the KDP at a checkpoint while going to attend the funeral of Diovan İşlek. Since then, no news has been received from them.

All units of the HPG and YJA Star withdrew from camp

On October 19, 2023, the headquarters of the People's Defense Forces (HSM) announced the withdrawal of our HPG and YJA Star forces from the camp to the Medya Defence Zones. After the announcement of the HSM, the 14th Iraqi army division deployed to the areas withdrawn by HPG forces. On October 22, a clash broke out between the Iraqi army and the KDP forces.

‘Societies demanding freedom face attacks’

In an interview with NuJINHA, Xantûr Kara, coordinating member of the İştar Assembly in the Makhmour refugee camp, spoke about the recent attacks on the camp. “The recent wars, conflicts and clashes all around the world show us that World War III has already broken out. All societies demanding freedom face attacks. As the Kurdish people, we also face attacks because we demand freedom. We are subjected to the attacks of the bloodthirsty fascist Turkish state every day. Our people are attacked in Makhmour, Rojava, Shengal and Northern Kurdistan every day.”

‘No clash broke out here until the withdrawal of the HPG’

Speaking about the clash that broke out between the Iraqi army and the KDP forces, she said, “When the HPG and YJA-STAR forces were here, no clash broke out here. The HPG and YJA-STAR ensured security in the camp. After the HPG and YJA-STAR forces withdrew from the camp, a clash broke out between the KDP forces and the Iraqi army.”

‘Everyone in the camp is responsible to ensure security’

Xantûr Kara also talked about the atmosphere in the camp after the withdrawal of the Kurdish forces. “All people in Makhmour, including children and women, were affected by this decision. The people of Makhmur thank the HPG and YJA-STAR forces for protecting them against ISIS and foreign forces trying to take control of the camp. Now, everyone in the camp is responsible to ensure security. We, as young people and women, will defend the Makhmour refugee camp against the attacks of the Turkish state and KDP.”