Tribal loyalists clash with Kurdish security forces over land dispute in Erbil
President Barzani sends condolences to Turkey over soldiers' deaths
Kurdish smuggler leads Raparin youth migration via Libya-Italy route
PKK changes disarmament plan over security reasons
PKK disarmament ceremony set for Friday in Sulaimani: DEM Party
A+ A-
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Fierce clashes broke out west of Erbil province on Tuesday between Kurdish security forces and supporters of a tribal figure following an attempted arrest related to an ongoing land dispute.
Footage obtained by Rudaw shows supporters of Khurshid Harki in Qarahanjir village, in Khabat district, firing weapons and burning tires to block roads and prevent the advance of security forces.
Harki has been embroiled in a land ownership dispute with another tribal leader for several days, which has already led to armed confrontations involving light and medium weapons.
This is a developing story.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rudaw Net
13 hours ago
- Rudaw Net
Barzani, DEM Party discuss Kurdish peace process
Also in Kurdistan Kurdish fighters burn weapons, signal end to armed struggle against Turkey Masoud Barzani indicates willing to visit Abdullah Ocalan Parents of fighters embrace peace as PKK burns weapons PKK disarmament was 'very emotional,' says DEM Party MP A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met on Friday with a delegation from Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) that was in the Kurdistan Region to attend a ceremonial disarmament of a group of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters as part of peace talks with Ankara. President Barzani noted 'the importance of intensifying efforts to advance the peace process and praised today's step of PKK disarmament,' according to a statement from his office. Among the DEM Party delegation were party spokesperson Aysegul Dogan, co-chair Tuncer Bakirhan, veteran Kurdish politician Ahmet Turk, and former lawmaker Leyla Zana. The DEM Party delegation expressed gratitude for President Barzani's support and his role in facilitating the peace process between the PKK and the Turkish state, the party said on X. A group of 30 PKK fighters symbolically burned their weapons in a ceremony in Sulaimani on Friday. The armed group has declared its intention to lay down weapons and pursue a political path in its struggle for Kurdish rights in Turkey. Dilshad Shahab, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region Presidency, said the Kurdistan Region's role in hosting the ceremony was met with broad approval from all parties involved, including the Turkish state. The Kurdistan Region has been the site of the majority of clashes between the PKK and Turkish forces for the past several years. 'Unfortunately, in the armed conflict that has existed on the ground the first victim in it has been the Kurdistan Region. We have dozens or I can say hundreds and more of our villages that have suffered damage and harm. We have given human losses. Damage to the environment and economy has befallen the people. And these are the direct impacts,' he told Rudaw. Turkish military operations, mainly in Duhok province, continued ahead of the disarmament ceremony, according to the US-based Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT). Founded in 1978, the PKK initially advocated for Kurdish independence, but later shifted its focus to securing political and cultural rights for Kurds in Turkey.
Shafaq News
13 hours ago
- Shafaq News
HDP praises President Barzani's role in Turkiye's peace process
Shafaq News – Erbil On Friday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani emphasized the importance of sustained efforts to advance the peace process in Turkiye, praising the PKK disarmament step taken by a faction of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Barzani made the remarks while receiving a delegation from the leadership of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and a group of Kurdish political figures who had participated in the disarmament initiative, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency. Meanwhile, the delegation expressed its appreciation for Barzani's efforts to push the peace process forward, reaffirming the importance of his continued support for the next steps in strengthening the initiative. 'President Barzani extended his thanks to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his efforts to ensure the success of the initiative,' the statement added. Both sides affirmed that peace serves the interests of all parties, Turkiye, and the broader region. They underscored the need for comprehensive support for the process and voiced hope that it would progress further in the coming phase. In addition, the delegation thanked President Barzani and the Kurdistan Region Presidency for the support and facilitation provided to ensure the success of the disarmament ceremony. Earlier, Barzani welcomed the symbolic gesture by the PKK, stressing that peace remains essential amid the current complex regional landscape, and that its achievement requires collective resolve. 'Peace makes us brothers, and a successful peace process will serve the interests of Turkiye, the region, and all involved parties,' he added. On May 12, the PKK formally announced its dissolution and renounced armed struggle, ending more than four decades of conflict that claimed over 40,000 lives.
Rudaw Net
14 hours ago
- Rudaw Net
Kurdish fighters burn weapons, signal end to armed struggle against Turkey
Also in Kurdistan Masoud Barzani indicates willing to visit Abdullah Ocalan Parents of fighters embrace peace as PKK burns weapons PKK disarmament was 'very emotional,' says DEM Party MP PUK leader Talabani says PKK disarmament is 'historic step' A+ A- DUKAN, Kurdistan Region - In a striking and symbolic gesture, fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) set their weapons ablaze on Friday, signalling an end to more than four decades of armed struggle for Kurdish rights in Turkey. The disarmament, marked by a bonfire reminiscent of Newroz - the Kurdish New Year once banned in Turkey - was held near a cave in Kurdistan Region's rugged mountains in northern Iraq, the same historic site where Kurdish intellectuals printed an outlawed newspaper more than a century ago. As the flames consumed the rifles, many in attendance viewed it not just as a tactical move, but as the possible turning point in a long and costly war. The fighters' disarmament came in response to a rare video message from their jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan, who has been imprisoned on an island near Istanbul since 1999. In his statement, Ocalan - long a symbol of the Kurdish nationalist cause - declared that the time for armed struggle had passed, citing new efforts by Turkey to acknowledge Kurdish identity and culture. 'The PKK, for the sake of the people, says we want peace, we want tranquility,' said Shame Shingal, a mother whose daughter remains among the ranks of the PKK. 'And this has filled us with joy.' The ceremony, attended by government officials and lawmakers from Turkey, Iraq, and the autonomous Kurdistan Region, was held under heavy security, with helicopters circling overhead. Among those present was Mohammed Penjwini, a prominent Kurdish intellectual and longtime friend of Ocalan. He voiced cautious optimism, noting that previous peace efforts had failed due to interference by what he called the 'Deep State' - a reference to shadowy nationalist elements within Turkey's bureaucracy and military. 'The hope today is that this process - unlike the previous one, which took four or five years and was ultimately derailed - will succeed,' Penjwini said. 'Because the leader of the Deep State, Mr. [Devlet] Bahceli, has embraced it. That is the only hope for its success.' Founded in 1978, the PKK is a secular, militant group that blends Marxist and Kurdish nationalist ideologies. It has waged a long and bloody insurgency against the Turkish state, a conflict that has claimed more than 40,000 lives, most of them Kurdish. Turkey, a NATO member, the US and European Union have designated the PKK as a terrorist organization. The group's decision to relinquish its arms - even if only symbolically for now - has been met with measured approval from analysts, peace advocates and even Turkish government officials. The fighters returned to their mountainous hideouts unarmed, a move seen by some as a genuine step toward lasting peace. Still, skepticism remains. Much will depend on how Turkish authorities respond in the weeks and months ahead, and whether a roadmap can be forged to eventually bring the fighters down from the mountains for good.
