Key Facts

• Sergele is a village located in Iraqi Kurdistan, which is 16km (10 miles) from the Turkey border.
• The villagers traditionally earn a living by farming pomegranates, almonds, and peaches.
• There are at least seven Turkish military bases built in this village over the past two years, affecting villagers' access to their lands and water.
• These bases are part of the 'Forbidden Zone,' where the Turkish military is fighting against the PKK, a Kurdish militant group.
• The 'Forbidden Zone' is a stretch of land in Northern Iraq that is up to 40km (25 miles) deep and impacted by the conflict between Turkey and PKK.
• A report by a Kurdistan parliamentary in 2020 says that the conflict has forced thousands of people to leave their lands and has emptied entire villages.
• Analysis by BBC using satellite imagery, expert assessments, and on-ground reporting reveals that the Turkish military has built 136 fixed military installations in Northern Iraq by December 2024.
• The Turkish military now controls over 2,000 sq km (772 square miles) of Iraqi land. They have also built approximately 660km (410 miles) of roads, which have caused deforestation and impacted the mountain regions.
• The majority of these expansions, about 89%, have been constructed since 2018. The Turkish government has justified its actions, claiming they are necessary to counteract the PKK, which is deemed a terrorist organization by various Western countries, including Turkey and the UK.