PENJWEN, Kurdistan Region — The harvest season has been disrupted by the Turkish drone surveillance in the skies of Sulaimani’s Penjwen district. The drones, deployed to monitor activities of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the border areas, have caused significant anxiety among local farmers.
Farmers in Penjwen, known for their harvest time, are reluctant to work their fields amid fears of drone strikes. Chalak Mohammed, a local farmer, described the situation, noting that recent drone activity, including the downing of one just two days ago, has increased anxiety.
“It’s harvest time in Penjwen, but as drones patrol the skies over the mountains and peaks, farmers are anxious. Just two days ago, a drone was shot down,” he said.
Turkish drones monitoring PKK activities in Sulaimani province have significantly disrupted villagers' lives in Penjwen district, instilling fear and leading many to abandon their farmlands.
Reporting by Avin Atta pic.twitter.com/EtTsOpWhwV
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Daily life in Penjwen villages has been severely impacted by the drone presence. Aryan Nasr, a civilian, reported that daily bombardments are taking a toll on local farmers, causing injuries and fatalities.
“Daily bombardments by Turkish drones deeply affect Penjwen’s farmers, instilling fear and disrupting their work and livelihoods. Every day, several fatalities and injuries are taken to the hospital, “he stated.
The drone surveillance is a response to alleged PKK activities near the Penjwen and Nalparez border areas. This heightened surveillance has led to many villagers abandoning their farmlands and returning only for essential agricultural work.
Hussein Ali, another resident, voiced concerns over the risks of drone attacks while working on farms. “We urge both the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Iraqi Government to end these bombardments by pressuring Turkey to stop the attacks on this land,” he urged.
Over the first seven months of the year, the border regions, including Nizara, Kani Miran, Wryaawa, and Badana, have faced more than ten bombing incidents. These attacks have devastated local pastures and vineyards, instilling widespread fear and driving many villagers to relocate to urban areas.
Reporting by Avin Atta.
