ANTI-WAR protesters have told of being kidnapped at gunpoint by security services in Iraqi Kurdistan at the behest of Turkey and the region’s ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Giving an exclusive interview to the Morning Star just an hour after his release, 35-year-old teacher Aso Hiwa said that he and his fellow protesters refused to back down despite their three-day ordeal.
“The Asayish [security service officers] caught us on the way to the demonstration. We were walking in pairs carrying flags and leaflets,” Mr Hiwa said.
“But they surrounded us and held us at gunpoint. This wasn’t anything else but a kidnapping. We were held as political prisoners.”
February 2021
Criminal groups abducted hundreds in north west, while ethnic and regional tensions ran high in south amid farmer-herder conflict; meanwhile, tensions rose in south east between govt and Biafra secessionists. Criminal groups in Feb reportedly killed at least 112 and kidnapped over 450 people, mostly in Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto and Zamfara states (north west), but also in Niger state (Middle Belt). Notably, armed group 17 Feb abducted 42 students and school personnel in Niger state, released them 27 Feb; 26 Feb kidnapped 279 girls in Zamfara state. Meanwhile, Auwalun Daudawa, who masterminded Dec 2020 abduction of 344 students in Katsina state, 8 Feb laid down arms along with five of his troops. Amid rise in herder-farmer and intercommunal violence in south since Jan, clashes between ethnic Hausa and Fulani on one hand, and ethnic Yoruba on the other, early Feb killed two dozen people in Oyo state capital Ibadan (south west). Nobel laureate in literature Wole Soyinka 6 F
PHOTOGALLERY
In Photos: Syrian Brown Bears Charge at Their Rescuers Moments After They are Released in Iraq
Six Syrian brown bears, some which were reportedly rescued from people s homes were taken to their new home in the Gara mountains in northern Iraq. Buzz | News18.com | February 13, 2021, 12:07 pm
1/ 6 Six Syrian brown bears, some which were reportedly rescued from people s homes were taken to their new home in the Gara mountains in northern Iraq. A large crowd filled with locals, security people and camerapersons surrounded the steel cages which brought the bears. But soon after the cages were opened to let the animals out, the bears charged towards the crowd. (Credit: REUTERS/Ari Jalal)
Erdogan threatens anti-PKK operation in Iraq’s disputed Sinjar 2021/01/23 07:17
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a video conference in Istanbul, July 28, 2020. (Photo: Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday amid Turkish airstrikes in the Kurdistan Region targeting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) that his military might launch a joint operation with the Iraqi government against the armed group in the disputed city of Sinjar (Shingal).
“Turkey is always ready to carry out joint operations against the PKK with Iraq but we cannot openly announce the date for such operations,” the president told journalists in Istanbul, reported the pro-Turkish government news website Daily Sabah.