Turkey's attacks against the Federated Kurdistan Region, which started on 18 April 2022 both from the air and on the ground, continue uninterruptedly. In the last 2 years, 4 journalists were killed by drones in the region. Most recently, journalist Aziz Köylüoğlu was killed in the Ranya region of Suleymaniyah on 27 January. So far, no investigation has been opened into the killing of journalists, while the silence of the governments of Iraq and the Federated Kurdistan Region against these attacks draws attention. 

 

Shokhan Mirza, a journalist in the region, made evaluations about the silence against the attacks. Stating that Turkey has been targeting and massacring journalists, politicians and civilians in its attacks against the region for 3 years, Shokhan Mirza said, "Turkey continues its attacks against the region in line with its aims and plans. With these attacks, it wants to end the existence of the Kurdish people in the region and liquidate them. Here, journalists who expose Turkey's war crimes and share the attacks against the region with the public are targeted and murdered. Until today, it has done everything to intimidate the Free Press. They have blocked, detained, arrested and now they are murdering. However, they were not successful and could not silence the truth. We have lost hundreds of our friends on the journey of truth and hundreds of people are still giving their lives for this cause. However, it should be known that our soul feeds on the truth. It is not so easy to liquidate the truth."  

 

‘JOURNALISTS WHO EXPOSE THEIR CRIMES ARE TARGETED’

 

Noting that journalists are targeted to cover up the war crimes committed in the region, Shokhan Mirza said, "Turkey uses every element of war. It has declared war on the truth, so to speak. However, the international silence against this continues. This silence shows that they have interests in the attacks. They also want us to take a step back. However, dozens of people came to the place of our murdered friends and did not leave their cameras on the ground. Every patriotic Kurd must oppose these attacks. In the person of the Free Press, they want to bury the realities here, they do not want them to be heard and seen. Those who expose Turkey's war crimes are being targeted." 

 

'WHY ARE THE IRAQI AND KURDISTAN GOVERNMENTS SILENT? 

 

Shokhan Mirza stated that Turkey aims to ensure that there is not a single journalist left in the region to expose its crimes and said that the silence of the Iraqi and Federated Kurdistan Region governments against these attacks is unacceptable. "However, their attacks make us stronger. Because we know that we disturb them. This is another dimension of their war policy. There are attacks on everyone doing journalism here. Because they expose the war crime here. Why are Iraq and the government of Federated Kurdistan silent against this? Or are they also partners in this crime?" Shokhan Mirza said. 

 

Reacting to the silence of international powers against the air strikes, journalist Shokhan Mirza added, "This silence is not acceptable. All journalist organisations should raise a common voice and wage a common struggle against this. Applications should be made in the legal field and there should be a legal struggle. An investigation should be opened against Turkey." 

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut