One of the suspects was killed and the other injured in a shootout between the security forces and two suspects in Zakho.

Kurdsat English reporter in Duhok said that the security forces in Zakho’s Tilkabery neighborhood tried to arrest two wanted fugitives; around 4 pm today, the two fugitives confronted the security forces, opening fire on them. 

As a result, one of the criminals was killed, and the other was wounded. According to the police, the Zakho court issued their arrest warrant on drug abuse charges.

The Kurdistan region has become a regional hub of narcotics given the significant rise, with Iran being the main source of drug imports. Last year, close to two thousand people were arrested on drug-related charges, including dealing, using, and promoting substance use, according to the Kurdistan region’s Anti-narcotics Department. 

Turkish opposition Iyi Party deputy Huseyin Ors was hospitalized after lawmakers boxed each other in the national assembly. Ruling AKP MP Zafer Isik, who punched Ors, said he would not apologize because "such things happen in the Assembly."

During the talks for the 2023 budgets of the Parliament, Justice Ministry, and Youth and Sports Ministries, a quarrel between Iyi Party deputy Ümit Yılmaz and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Group Deputy Chair Bülent Turan erupted. The argument led to a fistfight between lawmakers.

During the quarrel, AKP deputy Zafer Isik punched Iyi Party deputy Hüseyin Örs who previously suffered from heart disease. Örs suffered a heart spasm after the punch to the head.

After being hospitalized, Örs received intensive care after electroshock restored his heart rhythm to normal.

Iyi Party spokesperson Kursad Zorlu and deputy Aylin Cesur visited Ors in Ankara's Guven Hospital.

"Today, on behalf of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, is both a sad day and a shameful day for those who carried out this attack," Zorlu said while speaking after the visit.

The controversial 2023 budget bill has been slammed by the right-wing and left-wing parties in Turkey, with the HDP co-leader Pervin Buldan calling it a bill that puts the "sufferings" of millions of people in the hands of the government.

Today, Wednesday, from his prison cell, former HDP co-leader Salahaddin Demirtas posted a picture of himself and Dr. Adnan Selçuk Mızrakli. Demirtas said the sentence forced on my cellmate, Dr. Adnan Selcuk Mizrakli, was overturned in the Supreme Court, unfortunately, the Amed court has not released Dr. Mizrakli and thousands of others like him. The former Amed Mayor was sacked and put behind bars shortly after winning the Amed Mayor Office; he was accused of cooperating with the outlawed Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK), charges that were not proven. 

Although the Turkish Supreme Court overturned the Amed court sentence, the court has refused to follow through. The Supreme court argued that there were legal gaps in convicting Mizrakli. A few weeks later, he was removed for helping the PKK and replaced by another. The Amed Heavy Penalties Court was sentenced to nine years, four months, and 15 days later.

Complaining about the Justice System in Turkey, Demirtas also said, "Dont worry, times change."

Turkish security forces detained Demirtas in 2016 and flew him to the maximum-security prison in Imrali prison, a rocky island off the coast of Istanbul. He has faced numerous charges since 2016.

Today, Wednesday, a Kurdsat English reporter said that fighting broke out between Kurdish farmers and relocated Arabs in Haftaghar in the Daquq district. Hundreds of thousands of acres of land are disputed between Kurds and Arabs in Kirkuk and other regions of the disputed territories, an outcome caused by Iraq’s continued Arabization of the region.

"The relocated Arabs brought several tractors to farm tracts of Kurdish-owned land, prompting the farmers to attack the relocated Arabs with sticks and stones, forcing them to leave," per the reporter. 

Kurdish, Turkmen, and Arab farmers dispute over 300 hectares of farmlands in Kirkuk and the disputed territories, most of which remain unsettled and are a source of contention between the different minority groups. Although the Daquq court ruled the return of thousands of acres of land back to the Kurds in November, the Arab farmers have ignored the decision.

In a video conference with several Kurdistan region journalists, including a representative of KurdSat Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), US envoy to northeastern Syria affairs, Nicolas Granger called the tensions of the past weeks in Rojava "unacceptable." For the past two years, the US mission in Iraq engaged with hundreds of journalists and civil rights activists in an attempt to reverse its long-adopted top-down strategy in Iraq. 

Answering a question from KurdSat's Kovan Hussein whether the US would greenlight Ankara to continue its plans in Rojava, the top envoy said, "in no ways will the United States give the green light to any party to attack any other community or party."

They are dangerous and unacceptable, and the United States is concerned about military action that threatens regional stability and common goals in the fight against ISIS and puts civilian lives at risk, the US top envoy to North Eastern Syria noted. 

"Despite its concerns about the situation, Washington is working with partners such as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Turkey to ease tensions and the US goal is for the people of the region to live in peace," per the envoy.

Turkish warplanes continue to bomb Rojava cities and settlements, displacing hundreds of people and killing civilians since last month.  The announced Turkish invasion would cover many Kurdish towns of Rojava, officially called Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, one of the most democratic women-led places in the world, as women fight for their rights in other parts of the region. 

Earlier this morning, Tuesday, a gas bottle caught fire in a house in Sulaiman's Tasluja neighborhood. Sulaimani Health Department Spokesperson Saman Latif told Kurdsat English, "the bottle was a small gas cylinder type and caught fire due to leakage." 

Small gas cylinders are often used in the Kurdistan region for cooking, as they are cheap and handy since high energy prices have left many unable to afford safer energy sources.

He said the incident occurred while the family was preparing breakfast when the bottle caught fire. The man, aged 70, and woman, aged 63, were partially burned, with rooms in their house destroyed.

According to Latif, the 70-year-old man suffered a 12 percent burn, while the 63-year-old woman suffered a 43 percent burn. The woman is currently being treated at the Sulaimani Emergency Hospital.

Gas-caused incidents are common in the Kurdistan region, as it lacks a united national gas system to warm its households. Many people resort to individual gas cylinders or systems installed in homes without proper safety measures.

Last month two explosions caused by gas cylinders in Sulaimani and Duhok claimed 21 lives and left tens of injuries, leading the government to ban their use and audit already installed gas cylinders in homes and offices.

For the second day, a general strike is held in Rojhelat or Iranian Kurdistan cities; dissidents have shut their businesses, leaving streets empty. The strike is scheduled to continue tomorrow.

A week earlier, the Cooperation Center for Iranian Kurdistan's Political parties (CCIKPP) called for a general strike as protests stagnated. Many answered their call and went on strike. The strike continues even though Tehran has shown signs of relaxing laws on the Hijab.  

Human rights watchdog Hengaw reported that a general strike was underway in 29 cities of the four provinces of Iranian Kurdistan on Monday, including Ilam, Kermanshah, Sanandaj, and Urmia.

Students of Tehran University and Kurdistan University in Sanaa have also decided to participate in the general strike, and the strike is scheduled to continue tomorrow.

People of Tehran, Sanandaj, Kermanshah, Shiraz, Rasht, and Mashhad took to the streets last night to protest against the Iranian government.

Over 460 people have been killed in the unrest in Rojhelat and Iran, with almost 30 thousand people put behind bars.

People's Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chairwoman Parvin Buldan said they would nominate a woman for the upcoming Turkish presidential election.

HDP Co-Chairwoman Pervin Buldan said today, in a statement, that the 2023 budget of Turkey is a budget that puts millions of people's suffering at the government's service, and the problem and the solution to the budget is rejection. High inflation and unemployment have led thousands of people in Turkey to protest against the government's fiscal policies.

Buldan said they would nominate a woman for next year's presidential election but did not mention any names. Turkey has had a female prime minister, not a president since the Turkish republic adopted a presidential political system following a referendum.

Pervin Buldan criticized the Turkish government and the two ruling parties, saying that the AKP and MHP are in power for a short time and the end of their power is near, as they have led Turkey to bankruptcy.

Today, Tuesday, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Electricity said that their minister had signed a contract with the director of Pluto Auto Cycle Company to install a solar power plant in Erbil. The plant will generate 25 MW of solar power and will be operational within 90 days, it said.

The ministry of electricity noted that their ministry had added an extra 615 MW of electricity to the national electricity grid in the past four years. Despite the national power grid, the Kurdistan region relies on tens of thousands of generators to substitute for the hours of power outages. The generators pump thousands of kilos of CO2 into the air every day. 

"It is noteworthy that even after the production of more power, it has not been able to provide 24 hours electricity to the citizens of the Kurdistan region, the power ministry added.

Power outages are common in the Kurdistan region, especially in the winter, as people turn to electricity to heat their homes. A recent ministry of electricity plan to provide 24/7 power to households failed since it lowered the limit of amperes every family could use from 40 to 30 amperes, not enough to turn on some essential household items, according to citizens complaining on social media.

The Kurdistan region relied on hydrocarbon fuel for heating residences and cooking, with most heaters working with kerosene or other fossil fuels; although electricity heaters are typical, the lack of electric power makes it difficult for many to afford. 

Professor Vakas Jolak uses his restaurant to introduce Kurdish culture to the Japanese people and people visiting his restaurant. 

"Mesopotamia is the land where both the Tigris and Euphrates rivers flow and the birthplace of the two-water valley civilization," owner Vakas Jolak told Japanese Nippon TV.

When asked why he named his restaurant Mesopotamia and not Kurdistan, Jolak said that Kurdistan overlaps the Mesopotamia area where civilization was born. It seems Jolak wanted to show people of Kurdistan's historic and cultural richness. 

Jolak opened this restaurant in 2017 and is the only Kurdish restaurant in Japan. The restaurant also serves as a cultural center introducing Kurdish culture and language. As its owner says, his restaurant could be a refugee for the Kurds visiting Japan.

A map of Greater Kurdistan on the food menu of Mesopotamia Restaurant 

"People say that we Kurds are the world's largest ethnic group without a state. The area known as Kurdistan, where most Kurdish people live, includes parts of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Azerbaijan. Sadly, though it isn't a recognized nation," Jolak complained. 

Speaking of Kurdish cookery, the owner of Mesopotamia notes that "throughout history, Turkish cuisine has been influenced not only by Central Asian cuisine but also by Greek, Persian and Arabic cuisine, we can say that the famous Turkish dishes originated from the Kurdish dishes."

Born in 1981, Jolak hails from a small village in Turkey's Kurdish regions. In the late 1980s, the Turkish government cracked down on the Kurdish nationalist movements. Jolak's brother was deported several times for being a member of one of the Kurdish-banned parties. Accordingly, like thousands of other families, one of Jolak's brothers sought refugee in the Netherlands while others emigrated to Japan.

Vakas Jolak initially dreamed of becoming a Kurdish language teacher, but at that time, Turkey denied the existence of Kurds as an ethnic group and their language, so he had to study only the Turkish language and literature, forcing him to move to Malaysia to continue his studies. Unable to return to Turkey, his brother assisted him in moving to Japan in 2009.

Vakas Jolak currently works as the evening manager and chef of Mesopotamia Restaurant, he is also a professor of Kurdish in the Department of Foreign Culture and Language Studies at the University of Tokyo, and the director of the Kurdish-Japan Cultural Association.

KurdSat reporter in Qamishli Dara Berekat said that the explosion occurred Qutli street in Qamishlo, earlier this morning.

A planted bomb the near the vehicle, injuring one person, the reporter said.

According to local source, the targeted vehicle was transporting employees of the Education Department of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.

As ISIS still remains a threat to the security of Rojava and the greater region, a Turkish ground invasion in Rojava is imminent.

A Tehran youth group have called on people to hold mass rallies at Tehran’s Valiasr and Firdaws Sharqi intersections at 10:00 am for three days, beginning today. The two streets are critical to the normal traffic flow in Iran’s megacity.

The youth of Sanandaj said they would continue protesting and make December 7 a milestone to start a national movement and create coordination between different movements in society. Sporadic unrest and disobedience have characterized the Iran protests for the past weeks.  

Youths in Ahvaz, Ardabil and Kirkan have also called for a general strike and called on people to boycott unnecessary goods during the three days.

Students at Tehran University and Kurdistan University in Sanandaj also expressed their willingness to join the strikes and boycott class.

Meanwhile, Hengaw Human Rights Organization reported that at least 20 Iranians were kidnapped in the past 48 hours in the town of Murmuri in Abdanan province.

Iran protests have stagnated for the past weeks as unorganized remote protests continue, especially in Iranian Kurdistan, where the unrest emerged over two months ago.

Iranian forces have abducted over 300 children in the past 80 days of protests in Rojhelat, the Oslo-based Human Rights Organization Hengaw reported.

According to the group, 17 minors were kidnapped in Sanandaj, with 14 in Javanrud and 14 in Saqqez. The Kurdish cities in Iran have experienced one of the worst crackdowns in the nationwide unrest. Of the kidnapped, only 130 are identified, of which 27 are girls, and 103 are boys.

According to Hengaw, a number of the kidnapped children were illegally instructed to fill out confessions, after several days and weeks of uncertainty about their fate, with some of them being later released on bail.

Since the unrest began in September, many minors have been detained and some killed, mostly in Iranian Kurdistan. 

Today, Sunday, Sazan’s Pomegranate Company CEO Faraydoon Namdar, told KurdSat English, “they have delivered 20 tons of Pomegranates to United Arab Emirates (USA) and have prepared 1000 tons for export.” The Kurdish-grown pomegranates were welcomed warmly in the UAE.

The Halabja-based Sazan’s Pomegranate Company(SPC) has pioneered exporting agricultural products abroad; in 2020, it exported its first batches of pomegranates to Europe and the UK for the first time in the history of the Kurdistan region. 

“We prepared everything for delivering pomegranates to the UAE, from harvesting, to packing and preparing their shipment,” Namdar said.
In a televised press conference, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources Begard Talabani revealed his ministry’s policies to make pomegranate a Kurdish brand and export it all over the world, which helps to turn agriculture a great source of revenue for the government and the private sector.

Talabani said that they are currently working with the UAE to research Halabja pomegranates and orchards, and a committee has been formed for that purpose.

Kurdistan region relies heavily on the hydrocarbon reserves to fund its coffers. Yet, hydrocarbon reserves still need to fund the KRG as its spending outpaces revenues. Recently, the Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani started assisting local farmers and investors in improving the agricultural sector in the Kurdistan region and turning it into a good source of revenue for the region.

Halabja pomegranates packaged for export in Halabja, Kurdistan region on October 18, 2022

The pond turtle found at the ponds and springs is connected to the Kurdish goddess of waters, Ana, which has been residing in springs, rivers and lakes since the beginning of life on earth. Accordingly, the turtle symbolizes longevity and immortality.

The turtle motif on a Kurdish rug, 19th or early 20th century

Among Muslim Kurds, the goddess Ana is replaced with the prophet Khizir, an immortal spirit whose shrines are found in many places in Kurdistan next to springs and rivers. Accordingly, turtle motifs are common in Kurdish decorative and religious arts.

In many texts, Khizir or Khidr is described as a messenger, prophet, or angel who guards the sea, helps those in distress and imparts secret knowledge. Although not explicitly mentioned, Khizir is mentioned in the Quran.

Khizir visualized in a painting wearing a green overall. Scholars suggest his name was derived from the Arabic word Akhzar, meaning green. 

One Kurdish legend is that the turtle was originally a wise human who was well-versed in the sea and eventually transformed into an animal, turning the sea or river it's an eternal home.

In Kurdish dream lore, a turtle could represent wisdom, good health and good luck. For instance, turtles seen in a dream indicate their will's emergence with wise people.

The turtle shell is believed to be a defense against the evil eye or malevolent witchcraft. When the harvest season begins, turtle shells are hung on poles and placed in the harvest field to ward off the evil eye. In some regions, the nomads, to parry fascination, carried a fragment of turtle shell fastened to a peg of oak wood.

In some ritual practices, turtle blood was applied on scars and skin infections, believing that turtles had the power of healing.

The mytheme of the cosmic turtle—a giant turtle supporting the world—found in many cultures has also made its way into Kurdish cosmogony, where we find a giant turtle carrying the world on its back.

A rare Kurdish rug with mysterious pond turtle icons associated with Kurdish mythology, 19th century