NRT Digital Media

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SULAIMANI — Director of the Amedi Health Directorate Najib Said confirmed that at least one protester has died after demonstrators stormed a Turkish military facility in Duhok province.

There are also a number of injuries, according to NRT Digital Media reporter Nihad Oramali. Reuters cited a Kurdish official as saying that at least ten people were wounded.

Oramali added that a large contingent of Kurdish security forces is being deployed from Duhok city to Shiladze in response.

Kurdish security forces were able to disperse the protesters after a number of vehicles and tents were set ablaze.

Witnesses reported the sound of gunfire, but was not immediately clear whether Kurdish security forces or the Turkish military was responsible.

Turkish planes flew low over the town – in at least one case dropping flares – to disperse protesters and frighten residents.

Turkey’s Defense Ministry wrote on Twitter: “An attack has occurred on one of bases located in northern Iraq as a result of provocation by the PKK terrorist organization. There was partial damage to vehicles and equipment during the attack,” according to Reuters.

Without naming the base, the ministry said “necessary precautions are being taken regarding the incident.”

The protests were in response to deadly Turkish airstrikes that killed four people in the Rashava area in Deraluk sub-district at approximately 06:00 pm on Wednesday (January 23).

The deceased included two hikers, a student, and a Peshmerga.

The latter two were buried on Thursday. The hikers were classified as missing until Friday, when their bodies were found.

Turkey has been bombing the Amedi district for the last five years. At least twenty non-combatants have been killed and dozens of others wounded in the attacks. Additionally, the airstrikes damage homes, infrastructure, and farmland.

Ankara justifies the strikes by saying that it targets suspected positions of the PKK in the Kurdistan Region.

Besides airstrikes, units of Turkish army have entered 30 kilometers into the Kurdistan Region.

(NRT Digital Media)

This story was updated at 6:24pm EBL.