Kurdistan
The HPG revealed in a statement today, Tuesday, the identity of two of its fallen commanders, killed in a "fierce battle" in Osmaniye.
The HPG Media and Press Center released the statement that two PKK commanders, Agid Rojhelat and Armanj Nasimi, were killed in a hard battle with the Turkish Army near the village of Kulu in the central province of Osmaniye in "North Kurdistan."
The PKK commanders Rojhelat and Nasimi were killed on May 24, 2022, in the Amanos mountains region of Osmaniye in Turkey, per the HPG website that publishes biographies of its fallen guerrillas. The martyr profiles usually reveal the fallen guerrillas' legal name and their adopted names.
Most of the PKK fights against the Turkey army are in the Kurdistan region, though the PKK statement reveals the group's presence deep within Turkish territory.
The fallen PKK commander Egid Rojhelat (right) seen with PKK leader Murad Karayilan
The CTG said in a statement released Tuesday, "An Iraqi counter-terrorism delegation led by Colonel Ihab Jalil Ali, commander of the Iraqi counter-terrorism battalion in Kirkuk, visited CTG headquarter in Qarahanjir."
The counter-terror groups discussed peace and security, fighting against remnants of ISIS, further joining forces to defeat and eliminate ISIS, and emphasising expanding intelligence sharing to apprehend wanted and fugitives by the Iraqi and Kurdistan courts on terrorism charges.
"The forces agreed to a seat for the CTG in the Military Joint Operations Room in Kirkuk to fight terrorism better," the CTG said in a statement.
The groups also discussed ways to fill the security vacuum in the areas between the Kurdistan region and Iraq. The sites have become a safe haven for ISIS remnants, using them as bases to launch attacks on Peshmerga and Iraqi security forces, which take a large toll on the security forces and people of the region.
Kurdistan Counter-Terrorism Group commander in Qarahanjir greeting Colonel Ihab Jalil Ali, commander of the Iraqi counter-terrorism battalion in Kirkuk
"Sherwan Sherwani has been punished several times in the past and he was previously placed in solitary confinement for several days for releasing an audio recording," Hassan added.
Sherwan Sherwani has been arrested since September 2020 and sentenced to six years in prison. His sentence was later reduced by 50 per cent, and he should have been released on parole early next year, but the court denied him the parole.
In October, Bashdar Hassan told KurdSat English that "the prisoners in Erbil have demanded moving their case to Sulaimani Correctional Center." Hassan added, "it has been done before and is legal, but the director of the Erbil Elderly Correctional Center, who is a Zerevani officer, [a KDP-backed force], does not submit their request to the relevant ministry, which prevents their transfer.
The reason for ignoring their appeal is political because if the prisoners were relocated to the Sulaimani, they would be released on parole.
On October 7, 2020, Sherwan Sherwani and his activist and journalist friends were detained, leading to a widespread outcry in the Kurdistan region. On February 16, 2022, along with his friends, he was indicted with several "wrongdoings" by the Cassation Court of Erbil and sentenced to six years in prison. The Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani decided to reduce Sherwan's sentence by 50% and that of his comrades by 60%.
Speaking to KurdSat English, head of the Iraqi Federation of Refugees Amanj Abdullah said, 75,000 people have left Iraq since the beginning of this year, 35,000 of which are Kurdistan region residents.
“Most of them leave to Europe through dangerous maritime routes, and the number of those leaving has increased since the last year,” Abdullah noted.
The IFIR also said that “the Iraqi and the Kurdistan region governments are have no plans for the youth, resulting in a significant increase of refugees.”
Significant migration is one of Iraq’s new challenges that upsets its demography. Most of those leaving are young males that leave their female counterparts, leading to increased polygamy in Iraq and the Kurdistan region.
Unemployment, lack of basic services, and a deeper integration into an “attractive” European life style through the internet has led many to leave Iraq for the EU.
Last night, in Erbil's Khabat district, some armed men tried to break into the house of a man who escaped to his mother's home next door, and the attackers opened fire on the man, killing her mother and injuring the son, according to witnesses.
Yesterday night at 1:30 midnight, the Erbil Police Directorate was alerted of a shooting in Khabat district, Erbil police added.
"After we [police] arrived at the scene, it was revealed that several gunmen broke into the house of a man who fled to his father's house next door, as he flees away the gunmen open fire on him and injur her mother who later died in hospital," the police explained in a statement.
The shooters are still on the loose. "An investigation has been opened into the incident and police are investigating to find out the true cause of the incident and arrest the criminals," Erbil Police noted.
Last night in Sulaimani’s bustling Salim Street, an armed man shot his father-in-law over familial issue, according to witnesses. Sources said that the man was shot in his car while with his family.
KurdSat’s reporter said a man shot and wounded his father-in-law aged over 50, near Nali Park in Sulaimani’s Salim Street yesterday evening.
The wounded man was shot in the leg and is currently receiving treatment at a city hospital, the reporter added.
On Tuesday, the Raparin Security Forces arrested two drug traffickers in Raparin province in coordination with the Hajiawa district security forces, the Raparin security directorate said in a statement.
The security directorate added that the traffickers are held per Kurdistan region anti-drug laws.
Drug trafficking has increased in the Kurdistan region. On October 9, Kurdistan Counter-Terrorism Group (CTG) seized a record 85 kilos of crystal meth in the Raparin district.
On the Occasion of Global Disarmament Week, the Kurdistan Region Government released a statement today, Monday, that asks Kurdistan region citizens to cooperate with the security forces to eliminate weapons in the region.
“In the sake of reducing crime and resorting to violence, the KRG works to regulate firearm ownership, and in that regard, the Kurdistan Parliament passed several laws that regulate weapons possession,” read the KRG Interior Ministry statement.
The Kurdistan region security forces have launched a week-long campaign to seize illegal weapons. They have set up many city checkpoints to check for unlicensed weapons.
The Ministry of Interior of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRG) has called on citizens to immediately hand their heavy weapons to the government and register arms in the nearest base. The KRG would compensate for the guns handed over to the authorities.
He explained that the registration period is one year, and during that period, unlicensed weapons, even if registered, are not allowed to bring out and carried in public places because it is against the weapons law.
“The week is to make everyone think about the disasters and unpleasant incidents that the proliferation weapons bring to people,” the ministry said in the statement.
Homicide rates increased following the Covid19 pandemic. In 2022, an expelled university student maimed two of his university professors using an assault rifle, leading to KRG-wide condemnation of civilians carrying unlicensed weapons.
In 2021 the Kurdistan region parliament passed laws restricting civilians from carrying weapons.
According to Small Arms Survey in 2017, almost every 20 out of 100 civilians owned a weapon in Iraq, even though the real figure is higher as most guns are unregistered and sold in the black market.
The United Nations promoted Disarmament Week is celebrated from October 24 to 30 each year and brings to the forefront an important agenda to bring about world peace. The principle of disarmament suggests getting rid of all weapons and arms which contribute to warfare and mass destruction.
President Latif Jamal Rashid conveyed his greetings and appreciation to the Russian President. He reiterated Iraq's willingness to strengthen friendly and bilateral relations that bind the two countries and work to expand these relations in various fields in the interests of both countries and fulfill the people in a manner that protects mutual interests.
President Rashid was inaugurated on October 17. He immediately designated Mohammed Shia al-Sudani as prime minister in charge of forming a government, breaking a year-long political impasse. On October 13, President Latif Rashid defeated incumbent Barham Salih by securing 162 votes out of 261 casts.
The KDP President Masoud Barzani chaired the KDP leadership meeting today and decided to hold the 14th congress on November 3, 2022, in Duhok.
A senior KDP cadre Ali Awni said, "The agenda of the meeting will be to discuss the latest needs of the congress and how to conduct the congress and solve any shortcomings, so in general, will be discussed about the 14th congress of the Kurdistan Democratic Party."
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) was founded in 1946 and is 76 years old.
The run-up to the KDP's 14th congress was minor local elections and plenums held in the cities of the Kurdistan region. However, many KDP members expressed their grievances with the run-up elections to congress and accused Masrour Barzani, the KDP's most powerful leader, of putting aside KDP members backed by Nechirvan Barzani, KDP vice president and Kurdistan Region President.
Sayed Mohammed Tawgozi, a KDP senior in Sulaimani, said in a statement that the KDP's fourth branch members, KDP's office in Sulaimani, will hold a press conference to reveal the fraud committed against them in the run-up elections with evidence to the public. Tawgozi and his friends are loyal to Nechirvan Barzani, according to people close to them.
"We are not alone, and other people will come with us, but we will speak at the congress and expose the frauds about the interference of KDP intelligence agency Parastin in the elections," Tawgozi added.
Many commentators and KDP analysts believe that Masrour Barzani will be elected the new KDP president in the upcoming congress, while Nechirvan Barzani will be retired.
KurdSat has learned that the congress will be held at the University of Duhok, and most preparations are done.
The PKK has held 13 congresses since its founding in 1946, eight during Mustafa Barzani (Barzani Senior) and five during the reign of Masoud Barzani (Barzani Junior).
The last Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) congress was held in late December 2010 in Erbil; the party has not held a congress for 12 years, while according to the party's internal rules must hold a congress every four years.
The President stressed the importance of coordinating efforts and positions between Iraq and the Czech Republic on issues of mutual interest to achieve security and stability at the regional and international levels.
Although the KDP is the first modern Kurdish party founded to combat feudalism and class differences, the Barzani family led by Mala Mustafa Barzani soon dominated the party, and most of its senior positions were and still are held by the family members.
A faction split from the KDP in the 1960s partly because they wanted to avoid Barzani's influence from taking over every decision made in the party.
The KDP now occupies many senior positions in the Kurdistan Region Government (KRG); Barzani family members head the offices of the region's presidency, the prime minister and key ministries.
"Greek Minister of Agriculture welcomed the delegation and in a special meeting emphasized on developing relations and promoting the agricultural sector and coordination between the Kurdistan region and Greece," the ministry said in a statement.
Agrico International invited Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources Begard Talabani and a ministry delegation to participate in the 29th Agrico international fair.
“Greece and KRG agricultural Ministry decided to form a joint committee to carry out joint work and transfer the Greek agricultural experience to the Kurdistan region,” Begard Talabani said.
The Greek Minister of Agriculture is scheduled to visit the Kurdistan Region to help improve skills of the Kurdistan region farmers and introduce them to agricultural technology, Talabani added.
The KRG delegation also met with Greek companies working in the agriculture to show Kurdistan region agricultural companies and investors how to marketize their products overseas, per KRG Ministry of Agriculture.
"The Kurdistan region minister also invited Greek investors to invest in the Kurdistan region," Begard Talabani said.
The Kurdistan region ministry of agriculture works to develop agricultural sector in the region and introduce it as a possible replacement for region’s oil dependence. The region’s most financial revenues are from hydrocarbon reserves that is vulnerable to global and regional shifts, usually cause the region millions.
KRG delegation at the 29th Agricot international fair
The Bundestag voted on Friday to keep German military advisors in the Kurdistan region and Iraq until October 31, 2023. "The plan is to send up to 500 Bundeswehr [German army] soldiers, as before, to train and advise the regular Iraqi armed forces and security forces and to take on tasks such as air transport, sea and airspace surveillance as well as reconnaissance and situational awareness," read a statement from the German parliament.
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) top diplomat Saadi Ahmed Pira led a PUK delegation at the European Progressive Alliance Conference held in mid-October 2022 in Berlin. Speaking at the conference, the PUK representative asked German PMs and officials to continue support for the Kurdistan region and Iraq by voting to extend Bundeswehr's mission in Bundestag's scheduled session on extending Germany's military mission in Iraq.
As one of the few socialist parties in the Middle East, the PUK is an active member of socialist party groupings in Europe and across the world and its former general secretary; President Jalal Talabani was Socialist International Deputy Secretary.
The PUK welcomed the decision and hoped for further cooperation between the Kurdistan region and Germany. At the conference, Sadi Pira invited socialist democrats to visit the Kurdistan region to see the signs of progress made after the war against ISIS and the corona pandemic.
Germany has 500 military advisers in the Kurdistan region and Iraq, whose mission is to train and provide intelligence and military information to enhance the capacity of the Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi army in the fight against ISIS.
The federal government said that it helps Iraq include "Air-to-air refueling, air transport, ground-based airspace surveillance and staff personnel, participation in NATO AWACS air surveillance flights, and advisory and staff personnel in the missions of the international anti-IS coalition as well as NATO."
In 2014, Germany began assisting the Peshmerga forces and provided weapons and ammunition to them. The German Federal Office has delivered close to three billion euros to the Peshmerga and Iraqi forces since 2013, according to the German Press and Information Office.
PUK delegation at the Progressive Alliance Conference in Berlin
The HPG said today that 5 Turkish soldiers were killed and one other wounded in the recent clashes in the Kurdistan region.
Meanwhile, Turkish media reported that the Turkish National Intelligence Agency (MIT) arrested Burhan Picak, a Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) commander in Sinjar, and transferred him to Turkey.
According to Turkish media, Picak crossed from Diyarbakir, Lice, to Syria, joined the PKK in 2015, and received training from the YPG in Syria. Until 2020 when he received "expert assassination" training at the so-called academy in Syria in Sirin and was assigned to the assassination unit.
Turkey has invaded tens of Kilometers of Kurdistan region territory and maintains over a hundred military bases and checkpoints in the region while continuing to shell and bombard the region, causing heavy collateral damage without impunity.
Image of Burhan Picak release by Turkish media
What Happened? The Kurdistan Commando Forces said, “the Kurdistan Commando Forces (KCF) Commander Akam Omar was seriously injured, and Lieutenant Zuher Mohammed was martyred and 7 other Peshmergas of the Kurdistan Commando Forces were wounded in a bomb blast in southern Kurdistan region.”
How Did It Happen? The KCF were on official duty to maintain peace and security and supervise an operation in the Palkana and Zeina area of the Garmian Administration in Sulaimani to fight terrorism and ISIS remnants, per the KCF statement.
Who Was Killed? KCF top commander Akam Omar was transferred to Faruq Hospital in Sulaimani to treat his wounds, KurdSat reporter in Sulaimani said. Lieutenant Zuher Mohammed was injured and later gave in to his injuries in a hospital in Garmian Administration in Sulaimani. Zuher Mohammed, also known as Botan Garmiani, was a close aide and bodyguard to Akam Omar.
What Is KCF? The KCF is a counter-terrorism group within the framework of the Kurdistan Region Ministry of Peshmerga that has played a significant role in defeating and removing terrorism in the Kurdistan region, Iraq and the Middle East. The International Coalition Against ISIS backs the group and provides it with assistance and training.
Lieutenant Botan Garmiani killed in the attack
"The 17 guerrillas, of which five are females, were killed in Turkish attacks, the People's Defense Forces (YPG) said in a statement.
According to the statement, 14 of the guerrillas were killed in the Zab area, and the others were killed in the Avashin area of the Kurdistan region.
"The HPG also noted that the international community and human rights organization's silence has only led to Turkey's increased use of chemical weapons against PKK forces in the Kurdistan region."
Turkey's use of Chemical weapons against the PKK guerrillas in the Kurdistan region is not documented or covered. However, some incidents raise concerns about Ankara's use of WMD in the Kurdistan region. A Duhok family suffered from a strange disease after an attack near them which the family reported as having a quitter blast than other bombs and saw a cloud of smoke rushing towards him, and he knew it was a chemical bomb.
High-Level Meeting: Kurdistan region Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Begard Talabani and her ministry staff received the newly appointed Kingdom of Netherlands General Consul Jaco Beerends in Erbil.
What Was Discussed? Minister Talabani congratulated Beerends on his new mission and wished him success, and discussed in detail ways to develop agriculture in the Kurdistan region that corresponded to climate change in the framework of a joint advisory committee that transferred experience between the Dutch government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
The Consulate General of the Netherlands in Erbil tweeted, “H.E. Minister [Begard Talabani] showed her interest in the private sector cooperation and the Agricultural methods that can cope with the current climate changes.”
KRG Needs Assistance: “We called on the Dutch government to assist in developing agricultural research facilities and guidance centers and opening branches of international scientific groups in the region to introduce [Kurdistan region] farmers and business owners to produce organic agriculture, and advanced irrigation systems,” Agriculture minister said.
Talabani added, “We also asked the Dutch Consul General to help train farmers and employees [of Kurdistan region] and help them study in fine Dutch universities to improve their skills.”
Minister of Agriculture Invites Dutch Investors: We invited Dutch business owners and investors to invest in the fertile soil and climate of the Kurdistan region, per Begard Talabani.
Why the Netherlands? The Netherlands and the Kurdistan region maintain close ties, particularly in the agricultural sectors, as the first leads the world in agricultural development and production.