- hot-spots
- deforestation
- Turkey
- Deforestation in Kurdistan due to the war
Deforestation in Kurdistan due to the war
Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria
last update:
11 months agoProblems
Destruction of forests
In the Shenyala region, deforestation has reached critical levels. The Mesopotamian environmental movement is alarmed by a new ecological hotspot that has emerged due to uncontrolled tree felling. According to environmentalists, hundreds of trees have been destroyed in preparation for constructing a new military post on the outskirts of Chia Sipi, opposite the military base near Mount Andok in Kurdistan. Sometimes forests, pastures, and farmland are sacrificed to the tourist business and sometimes to energy companies as a result of policies in Turkey. Destruction of villages and forest fires are other features of the war that has unfolded between Kurdistan and Turkey. Environmentalists are alarmed by the death of the forest cover and the authorities' approach to the problem. In addition to the damage caused to forest properties by fires, trees have been cut down under the supervision of law enforcement officials.
Cutting down trees is a military tactic
While the destruction of the forest area in Shirnak continues, village guards are cutting down trees to build a military base in the Shenyala area of Mush, the environmental movement reports: "Obviously, this large-scale destruction of the forest was a consequence of the already existing practice of war in Kurdistan. The destruction of trees for security reasons, as well as the construction of military posts, is a form of oppression and suppression of Kurdish society. Furthermore, the policy of displacing people from their land, the policy of destroying green areas and habitat, which could be seen in the past and which we are witnessing until now, is another example of pressure on the Kurdish people."
Deforestation must be stopped
The constant shrinking of the country's forests exacerbates the climate crisis. A tree cut down here today contributes to a river drying up elsewhere tomorrow. Nature is one, and any interference affects the entire planet. The environmental movement of Mesopotamia states that the military approach is also a crime that destroys the environment and affects all living beings. Environmentalists call on all concerned people to oppose this massacre. The logging of the forest must stop immediately.
Gallery
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Timelines
2023
April 12
Illegal logging has been uncovered in 114 forest patches in Syria's Kurdish-majority region of Afrin, according to a report published by the Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ) and Lêlûn Association for Victims in Afrin. While some have suspected that Turkish-backed armed groups have engaged in illegal logging in Afrin, proof or evidence regarding the claims has not been available. STJ investigated the extent of tree-cover loss and found that 57 locations showed high degradation, where perpetrators cleared the forests almost entirely. In 42 locations, there was moderate degradation, and 15 locations showed low degradation. Although there are no official statistics on the number of trees cut since 2018, STJ estimates that the loss is in the tens of thousands, while local sources insist that the number is much higher. STJ has been monitoring forest logging in the Afrin region since 2019, using field researchers to record large-scale woodcutting, compile evidence from various open sources, analyze the information, and match the findings with satellite images. Bassam al-Ahmad, the executive director of Syrians for Truth and Justice, stated in an interview with Kurdistan 24 that little attention has been given to the issue of deforestation and illegal logging. “Syrians for Truth and Justice researched to document the extent of armed groups’ involvement in deforestation, which they used as a means of financial support,” he said. “This practice reflects a disregard for the devastating impact on the indigenous people and environment of Afrin, amounting to an act of ecocide,” he concluded.
2022
August 17
The bar association in Şırnak has launched a new initiative against the massive deforestation in the region and called on the population to directly contact the governor of the province and the local land councils to preserve the trees. In the province of Şırnak in northern Kurdistan, massive deforestation has been taking place for more than two years. Paramilitary village guard associations are clearing forests in the Besta area and the mountainous regions of Cudi and Gabar under state supervision. People in the affected region protest against deforestation, and civil society organizations demand an end to the destruction of nature.
2021
October 27
Turkey has resumed cutting down trees in the Iraqi province of Dahuk, months after temporarily stopping the practice, sources told the Iraqi-Kurdish channel Rudaw. Locals have already threatened protests against Turkish military bases if the deforestation continues. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) expressed its concern and dissatisfaction with the deforestation by the Turkish government and the damage caused to the region's environment. It also officially called on Ankara to stop this intolerable practice. A meeting was held between Turkish Consul General Hakan Karacay and Deputy Speaker of the KRG Hevin Hawrami, at which the problem of deforestation was also discussed. The Turkish side, for its part, traditionally confined itself to loud phrases. The Ministry of Defense of the Republic stated that the army of the Republic shows "maximum sensitivity and attention" to civilians, the environment, and historical and cultural objects during its cross-border operations against the "Kurdistan Workers' Party" (PKK).
2019
April 18
The student group Daristan is going to organize its first event on April 19, where students will plant trees on Mount Ararat, an area where the percentage of fertile forests is zero. Kurdish students from various universities in Northern Kurdistan are on a mission to raise awareness about deforestation. Turkey's Ministry of Forestry recently published a report stating that most Kurdish cities in Turkey have the least amount of viable forests in the country. Despite the financial challenges the student group faces, Daristan is going to organize its first event on April 19, where students will be replanting trees on Mount Ararat, an area where the percentage of fertile forests is zero.
2018
October 27
According to a study conducted by ecologists, 1.3 million acres of forest have burned in the last eight years. Green areas account for only 12.44 percent of Kurdistan. The highest rate of green space is in Duhok province (27.58 percent), followed by Halabja (10.04 percent), Sulaimani (9.1 percent), and Erbil (9.05 percent).