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Shafaq News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Kurdistan's Duhok: One-third of villages lost to PKK-Turkiye conflict
Shafaq News/ Nearly a third of villages in Duhok province, Kurdistan Region, have been destroyed and depopulated due to the decades-long armed conflict between the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Turkish military, Governor Ali Tatar said on Thursday. Tatar blamed the PKK for preventing the return of residents. 'Many citizens haven't stepped foot in their native villages for over 38 years,' he said, citing continued armed presence and border tensions as the main barrier. He called on the group to withdraw from villages and mountain strongholds to allow displaced families to return and rebuild, affirming, 'This is not just a political necessity—it's a humanitarian and developmental priority.' He welcomed recent steps toward de-escalation and affirmed Duhok's support for peace efforts between Ankara and the PKK. 'We back any initiative aimed at achieving a lasting ceasefire and restoring normal life to the border communities.' According to Tatar, the Kurdistan Regional Government has already begun reconstruction projects in affected areas, including road works in the Balind Valley near Nerwa-Rekan and mountain villages near Gara and Matina. However, he noted that projects in Doski Zor and Reekan remain on hold pending further progress in the peace process. The statement follows the PKK 's May 12 announcement of its dissolution and the end of its armed struggle against Turkiye, citing a shift toward political paths for achieving Kurdish democratic rights.
Iraqi News
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Two Iraqi Assyrians injured in Duhok
Duhok – Two people were injured on Tuesday in a cleaver attack on an Assyrian Christian celebration in northern Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, officials said, pointing to the Islamic State jihadist group. The region's Asayesh police force said it was investigating the attack in the city of Dohuk. The region's autonomous Kurdish authorities said the attacker was Syrian and influenced 'by terrorist ideology affiliated to Daesh', using the Arabic acronym for IS. Kurdish media said the attacker used a cleaver. According to a police source, the attack took place in a market and targeted the Akitu springtime celebrations observed by members of the Assyrian community to mark the first day of their calendar year. 'A 65-year-old woman was hit on the head' and suffered a haemorrhage that did not require surgery, Dohuk medical authorities said, adding that her condition was 'stable'. Another 25-year-old man suffered a minor scalp wound, the authorities added. Dohuk governor Ali Tatar told a press conference that 'our security forces arrested the suspect… the investigation is ongoing'. Iraq's Christian population plunged from some 1.5 million before the fall of Saddam Hussein in the early 2000s to about 400,000, the majority having fled successive bouts of violence in the country. The rise in 2014 of the Islamic State, which had conquered the city of Mosul in northern Iraq and made it their 'capital' notably accelerated their exodus. But even when IS held Mosul and its surrounding areas until its defeat in 2017, neighbouring Kurdistan was relatively spared from jihadist attacks. Jihadist cells are still active in Iraq, sporadically attacking the army and police, particularly in rural and remote areas. A recent UN report said government-led counter-terrorism operations have resulted in the deaths of nearly half of IS's senior leaders in Iraq. However, it warned the group could use the unstable situation in Syria following the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, a member of the Alawite minority, to reinforce its position.
Shafaq News
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Akitu attack outrage: Governor vows justice after "cowardly act"
Shafaq News/ The attack on Akitu festival celebrants is a "cowardly act" that has no connection to peaceful coexistence, Duhok Governor Ali Tatar said on Tuesday. Earlier today, an unidentified assailant attacked attendees of the Babylonian-Assyrian New Year celebration in Duhok, injuring a woman and a young man. Both victims sustained serious wounds and were taken to a hospital, where their conditions remain critical. Speaking at a press conference attended by Shafaq News Agency, Tatar emphasized that pluralism and tolerance have long defined the Kurdistan Region. "Neither a terrorist organization, a fanatic individual, nor any group seeking chaos can undermine security and stability in Kurdistan," he said. The governor stressed that the Region would not be swayed by such attacks, which he described as attempts to sow discord and disrupt social harmony. "All components of the Kurdistan Region are fully protected by the government, which prioritizes security and stability," he added. He also assured that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is providing the best possible medical care for the victims.
Shafaq News
23-03-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Duhok's power grid: 72-hour blackout test
Shafaq News/ On Sunday, the Kurdish Ministry of Electricity began a 72-hour stress test to evaluate the stability of the power grid in central Duhok. According to the ministry's statement, electricity will be provided continuously throughout the test to monitor transmission and distribution network performance, with similar trials planned for other districts in future phases. 'The test is intended to identify technical issues and prepare for system upgrades,' the ministry clarified. The initiative follows the recent launch of the Runaki project in Duhok, which aims to provide uninterrupted electricity to households and reduce reliance on private generators. Duhok Governor Ali Tatar previously said the project had already been rolled out in areas such as Al-Amediya and Duhok's market district, describing the system as more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than local generator use.
