| Siege of Cizre (September 2015) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part ofKurdish–Turkish conflict (2015–present) and2015–16 Şırnak clashes (Kurdish–Turkish conflict) | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 25 police officers injured[1] | 40 killed[1] | ||||||
| 160 civilians killed (allegedly)[2] | |||||||
During theKurdish–Turkish conflict (2015–present), in September Turkishsecurity forces launched an operation inCizre.[3] The Turkish security forces sealed off the city and placed a curfew for eight days, from September 4–11. The town had limited access to water and food and many of the injured were prohibited to receive professional medical treatment. TheCouncil of Europe raised concerns about "disproportionate use of force by security forces against civilians."[4]Leyla İmret, the mayor of Cizre at the time, was forcefully removed from her post under charges of supportingterrorism.[5]
On September 10,Sezgin Tanrıkulu, deputy chair of theRepublican People's Party (CHP), criticized the siege of Cizre and demanded an end to the week-long curfew.[6]Amnesty International expressed concern at disproportionate measures taken by Turkish authorities such as "indefinite, round-the-clock curfew", "blocking all access to the city", "cutting electricity, water and communications to the entire population of Cizre".[7] A march towards Cizre against the operation in which about 50 parliamentarians of thePeoples' Democratic Party (HDP) was stopped inİdil by the Turkish security forces.[8] The Turkish military wouldn't allow even the passage oftwo Ministers of the Turkish Government, claiming Cizre to be in an area where only the military had access.[8] The Kurdish MPs answered that they were not expecting to be threatened by the people in Cizre and[9]Selahattin Demirtas drew comparisons between theSiege of Kobani and Cizre.[8] On September 12,Nils Muižnieks, human rights commissioner for theCouncil of Europe, expressed concern over claims of "disproportionate use of force" against civilians in Cizre and called on Turkey to allow access to independent observers.[10]
On September 11, Turkey announced that it would lift the curfew temporarily,[11] however the open-ended curfew was reimposed two days later.[12]
According to a report by theTurkish Medical Association, the security forces severely restricted medical staff in their work and armoured vehicles with snipers were parked on the hospital grounds and occupied the emergency rooms.[13]
The clashes resulted in a continued standoff between Turkish security forces andYDG-H and were followed by theDecember 2015–February 2016 Cizre curfew.
According to the Turkish regional governor, forty PKK members were killed in Cizre operation during an eight days curfew.[1] He added that seventeen suspected militants had been detained in operations during the curfew, 25 police officers were injured in security operations and seven guarded police vehicles were damaged as militants carried out attacks with 21 rockets, 19 hand grenades, and two road-side bombings.[1]
International media reported as many as 12-20 civilians were reported killed.[14]
