In recent years, many cities in Kurdistan have witnessed tree cutting and forest fires under the name of “security.” Leading among these cities are Şirnak (Şirnex), Hakkari (Colemêrg), and Bitlis (Bedlîs).
In Kurdistan, where cutting began under the guise of “security” and later turned into a commercial activity, green areas have been increasingly depleted. This destruction is clearly visible in satellite images. In Bitlis, where cutting has been ongoing for about seven years without interruption, trees are uprooted by excavators so they don’t grow back.
Due to deforestation in the Hizan (Xîzan), Tatvan (Tûx), and Oleka Jor regions, 40% of forest assets have disappeared. Villagers reacting to the situation pointed out that the state initially began the cutting, but it continued with the involvement of private companies, even after the governorate’s ban.
Thousands of trees cut under the pretext of ‘terror’
The cutting began in Xîzan in 2018. It then continued in the villages of Şêx Cûma, Oleka Jor, and Oleka Jêr, clearing vast areas. Hillsides were stripped bare, and roads were opened for heavy equipment.
In the early years, cutting was done with military escort, and dozens of tenders have been issued to this day. Under the label of “terror zone,” companies entered the forested areas with rented excavators and tractors. The cut trees were loaded onto trucks and sold. Companies active in the region reportedly told villagers, “The more you cut, the more money you make,” encouraging them to participate.
They gave permission, and now they can’t stop destruction
In many cut areas, trees were uprooted entirely, and local villagers have lived with the sound of chainsaws for years. Photos from the region reveal the scale of the destruction.
After DEM Party MPs brought the issue to Parliament, the Provincial Forestry Directorate banned cutting in a few of the shaved-down areas. However, the same directorate that once issued permits has been unable to stop the companies now in the field. It has also been learned that many village guards continue to cut trees with their tractors despite the ban.
Locals say both fruit orchards and trees have been destroyed, and that wild animals, unable to find food, are now coming into villages and damaging their fields.
Idris Turgut, a resident of Şêx Cûma village, said that tree cutting became systematic after the collapse of the peace process. “After the peace process ended, this cutting started. They plundered nature; no trees are left. That’s why wild animals began coming into villages. We had to fence our fields to protect them,” he said.
Companies and village guards left no trees
Turgut criticized the state’s and large companies’ intervention in the region: “First the governor’s office got involved, then the companies. They placed village guards here without even paying them. Now they’re trying to stop the cutting, but the companies are pushing back. Despite the threat of penalties, trees are still being cut. The sound of chainsaws continues day and night. Companies are trying to involve villagers in business too. Before, no one used to do this work. There are no more grazing areas for animals. In some places, they even dig trees up by the roots with excavators.”
When things happen in Kurdistan, they stay silent
Turgut also emphasized that such destruction is ignored when it happens in Kurdish regions: “If a tree is cut in Izmir, everyone protests. When it happens in Kurdistan, no one says a word. When we speak out, we face repression. Everyone should raise their voice against this cutting.”
Orchards cut down
Saime Elmas described the events as follows: “They damaged our trees badly, they cut down our fruit orchards. Wild animals now come into our fields. The companies and village guards profit, but we’re losing our livelihoods. And it’s not just damage—they insult us too.”
Referring to peace rhetoric, Saime Elmas added: “Will peace come by cutting down trees? Let them leave our villages and nature alone. They must stop harming people and trees.”
Source: ANF News
