Life in Sergele, a picturesque village nestled in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan, has taken a drastic turn as it finds itself at the heart of Turkey’s military presence. For generations, families like Sherwen Sergeli’s have thrived off the land, cultivating pomegranates, almonds, and peaches while foraging for wild fruits and spices in the lush surrounding forests. But recent years have seen Turkish military bases encroach upon Sergele’s borders, threatening the villagers’ way of life.
“This is 100% a form of occupation of Kurdish [Iraqi Kurdistan] lands,”
laments farmer Sherwan Sergeli. The once idyllic village now stands on the edge of what locals refer to as the “Forbidden Zone,” an area deeply impacted by Turkey’s ongoing conflict with the Kurdish militant group PKK. As tensions escalate, Sergele faces being drawn further into the turmoil that has plagued this region for decades.
Amidst drone strikes and aerial bombardments targeting PKK militants hidden in northern Iraq’s caves and tunnels, villages like Sergele bear witness to the devastating consequences of this protracted conflict. The unsettling hum of Turkish aircraft overhead serves as a constant reminder of the looming threat that now overshadows their once peaceful existence.
With each new military installation erected by Turkey across northern Iraq, including at least seven bases near Sergele alone over two years, villagers find themselves increasingly hemmed in by foreign forces intent on asserting control over Kurdish territories under the guise of combating terrorism.
Expert analysis reveals an alarming reality:
Turkey has constructed over 136 fixed military installations
within Iraqi borders since late 2024. These strategically positioned bases span more than 2,000 sq km (772 square miles) and are interconnected by approximately
660km (410 miles)
of newly built roads that scar the once pristine landscape.
While Ankara justifies its expanding footprint as necessary for countering PKK activities deemed terrorist acts by international bodies including NATO member states like Turkey and others such as Britain—locals like Salam Saeed from Kani Masi bear firsthand witness to how livelihoods are lost under such heavy-handed militarization.
Salam Saeed shares his plight amidst vineyards left untended due to looming Turkish bases:
“The moment you get here, you will have a drone hover over you.”
Farmers like Salam face intimidation and displacement amid growing militarization creeping into every facet of daily life within these contested territories that hold both historical significance and vital resources coveted by outside powers.
As geopolitical dynamics play out between Ankara and Baghdad—the latter heavily reliant on trade relations with Turkey despite internal dissent—the plight faced by civilians caught up in this crossfire often goes unnoticed beyond local communities struggling to survive amidst escalating violence and displacement.
The Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), dominated by parties aligned with Ankara against PKK interests within Iraqi Kurdistan—finds itself balancing economic benefits from ties with Turkey against growing discontent among local populations bearing the brunt of militarization encroaching upon their lands.
The tragic saga unfolds further when civilian casualties such as Alan Ismail—a young cancer patient killed during a botched air strike attributed to Turkish forces—are met with indifference or worse yet obstruction when families seek justice or recognition for their losses amidst bureaucratic red tape shielding perpetrators from accountability.
In conclusion,
Title: Turkey’s Military Control in Iraqi Kurdistan: Village Life Under Threat
Expanding upon these narratives unveils not just a struggle for land or resources but delves into human stories marred by conflict where lives are shattered amid geopolitical chess moves played out on terrain where generations once lived harmoniously until disrupted by external forces seeking dominance at any cost.
