Local Kurds return to Yüksekova, see damage from PKK
Thousands of residents in the conflict-ridden Yüksekova district of the southeastern province of Hakkari began returning to their homes, following a partial lifting of the curfew, where they saw the damage from clashes between the PKK terrorist organization and security forces.
After the governorate of Hakkari announced the relaxing of the curfew in the district on Sunday, residents headed to the region, passing security check points at the entrances of the district.
The district governorate has also established temporary offices to assess the amount of compensation locals are owed from the destruction.
Counterterrorism operations in Yüksekova started on March 13. Security forces have filled in hundreds of ditches, removed barricades and dismantled explosives and mines across the area.
According to the officially announced figures, nearly 200 members of the PKK were killed in the operations. In addition, more than 200 barricades were cleared and more than 300 improvised explosives were detonated in controlled explosions.
The long-standing operations success in purging Yüksekova of the PKK reportedly sparked a disagreement between the PKK's top figures, as it is an important route for the PKK's drug trafficking activities.
According to intelligence reports, there has been a rise in differences of opinion and arguments reflected on radio conversations between the group's senior figures Cemil Bayık and Murat Karayılan, as well as others, over their failure in Yüksekova. The reports add that Karayılan holds Bayık responsible for the group's failures in Yüksekova.
Karayılan and his supporters argue that Yüksekova held significant importance for them, as many tunnels and ditches dug in the area reportedly assisted them to stockpile weapons and escape security forces. The reports say that it is the first time internal disagreements have reached such a scale in the group.
After the governorate of Hakkari announced the relaxing of the curfew in the district on Sunday, residents headed to the region, passing security check points at the entrances of the district.
The district governorate has also established temporary offices to assess the amount of compensation locals are owed from the destruction.
Counterterrorism operations in Yüksekova started on March 13. Security forces have filled in hundreds of ditches, removed barricades and dismantled explosives and mines across the area.
According to the officially announced figures, nearly 200 members of the PKK were killed in the operations. In addition, more than 200 barricades were cleared and more than 300 improvised explosives were detonated in controlled explosions.
The long-standing operations success in purging Yüksekova of the PKK reportedly sparked a disagreement between the PKK's top figures, as it is an important route for the PKK's drug trafficking activities.
According to intelligence reports, there has been a rise in differences of opinion and arguments reflected on radio conversations between the group's senior figures Cemil Bayık and Murat Karayılan, as well as others, over their failure in Yüksekova. The reports add that Karayılan holds Bayık responsible for the group's failures in Yüksekova.
Karayılan and his supporters argue that Yüksekova held significant importance for them, as many tunnels and ditches dug in the area reportedly assisted them to stockpile weapons and escape security forces. The reports say that it is the first time internal disagreements have reached such a scale in the group.