Turkey is bombing the fourth-largest ethnic group in the Middle East: the Kurds (an ethnic group consisting of an estimated 25 million to 35 million people). The Kurds are spread out across Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Iran and Armenia. But why is Turkey bombing them?
Ever since Turkey became an independent state, the Turkish government has felt threatened by the 15 million Kurds present trying to create their own state or at least have their own autonomy. And Turkey’s solution to this? Wipe them out. However, wiping out 15 million people isn’t that easy. Therefore, in 1980, speaking or writing Kurdish was banned in Turkey. Anyone who spoke or wrote in Kurdish faced criminal charges.
Despite the bans, Turkey didn’t stop. In 2015, the Turkish government started bombing the Kurds both directly and indirectly. Knowing the Kurds were fighting ISIS at the time, Turkey was accused of providing ISIS with military assistance in order to kill the Kurds in Syria. Most recently, in June 19, 2020, Turkey bombed the north-western region of Iraq, an area dominated by the Kurds.
If you want to help the Kurds, go to: www.jointhelpkurdistan.org
Mariam Al Raisi
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