Kurdistan’s Duhok: One-third of villages lost to PKK-Turkiye conflict

Shafaq News/ Nearly a third of villages in Duhok province, Kurdistan Region, have been destroyed and depopulated due to the decades-long armed conflict between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Turkish military, Governor Ali Tatar said on Thursday.

Tatar blamed the PKK for preventing the return of residents. “Many citizens haven’t stepped foot in their native villages for over 38 years,” he said, citing continued armed presence and border tensions as the main barrier.

He called on the group to withdraw from villages and mountain strongholds to allow displaced families to return and rebuild, affirming, “This is not just a political necessity—it’s a humanitarian and developmental priority.”

He welcomed recent steps toward de-escalation and affirmed Duhok’s support for peace efforts between Ankara and the PKK. “We back any initiative aimed at achieving a lasting ceasefire and restoring normal life to the border communities.”

According to Tatar, the Kurdistan Regional Government has already begun reconstruction projects in affected areas, including road works in the Balind Valley near Nerwa-Rekan and mountain villages near Gara and Matina. However, he noted that projects in Doski Zor and Reekan remain on hold pending further progress in the peace process.

The statement follows the PKK's May 12 announcement of its dissolution and the end of its armed struggle against Turkiye, citing a shift toward political paths for achieving Kurdish democratic rights.