A Turkish airstrike July 6
ignited agricultural fields of Assyrian villages in the Nahla Valley of the
Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq. As flames burned for hours at night and well
into the next day, authorities never arrived to help extinguish the
blaze.
The fire and lack of emergency
response is endemic in the region as Turkish attacks routinely impact
communities in Iraq’s north. Kurdistan authorities cannot enter villages during
fires, a representative told Rudaw, because of fears of continued Turkish
bombings. Another source told Al-Monitor that when an area is hit by Turkish
airstrikes, authorities do not have permission to act until at least 24 hours
have passed in case there are additional strikes.
Last week’s airstrike was part of
a renewed military campaign by Ankara beginning in April targeting Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) militants in Iraq’s north. The offensive has so far
included building new military bases, chopping down forests to make way for
fresh roads and a barrage of airstrikes.
Caught in the crossfire of this
fighting are dozens of communities. In some cases, entire villages have been
forced to abandon. Calls to emergency centers in the area have been left
unanswered or unable to help.
In the midst of this security
vacuum, villagers have produced their own firefighting force with stockpiles of
fire extinguishing backpacks, oxygen masks and reflective vests. To store this
equipment and brace for future flames, residents are building a firehouse.
“This is one way, if we can equip
the young men and women in these villages so that they are ready when such
fires emerge, they can take action on their own,” said Mikhael Benjamin, an
Assyrian from the Nahla Valley.