According to local reports military activity between the village of Üzümcü and Şine mountain on the Hakkari-Çukurca road has increased markedly over the past week. Locals fear that the Turkish military could be preparing for a large-scale operation and hope to prevent such an outcome.

 

Thousands of marchers gathered at the foot of Kato Mountain near the village of Üzümü. As marchers attempted to walk up the mountain road they were confronted by soldiers who fired on the crowd with tear gas and plastic bullets.

A large number of people – including Hüseyin Yılmaz, Emin Kılıç and Cevahir Kaçar -suffered health problems as a result of the gas, while another was injured when he was struck on the head by a gas capsule. He was taken to Hakkari State Hospital accompanied by BDP Hakkari Province Officer Selahattin Sayın and treatment is ongoing.

Thousands have since come from the Hakkari City Center and surrounding districts in order to support the protesters and the area remains tense. The co-mayors of Hakkari, Yüksekova, Çukurca, and Esendere have all announced plans to establish a small protest encampment at the base of the mountain.

All roads to surrounding local military bases have been blockaded by armored cars, special forces teams, riot police and soldiers. It has been reported that the construction of a new military base on the summit of Mesken Mountain, also in the same region, has begun.

Publisehd by the Rojava Report

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