On September 10, Turkey bombed a house in Mexmûr Refugee Camp in Mosul Province of Iraq. Three women were wounded, one of them seriously, in the attack carried out by an Armed Unmanned Combat Vehicle (UCAV). The attack took place just as an Iraqi and United Nations (UN) delegation was visiting the camp for identification purposes. 

 

Edibe Paksoy, mother of 2 children, who was wounded in the Turkey attack told what happened. Paksoy, who has been a refugee in the Federated Kurdistan Region since 1994 and has been living in Mexmûr Refugee Camp since 1998, said that she and her 3-month-old baby were injured in the explosion. Stating that her house was right next to the house where the attack took place, Paksoy said that she and her child were injured and asked for the reason for the attacks. 

 

Reminding that their camp has been attacked many times, Paksoy said that they are political refugees and the Iraqi government said that they would protect them. “We have seen in this attack that the Iraqi government and the government of the Federated Kurdistan Region do not protect us. This attack happened with their cooperation. We condemn those who carried out this attack and their collaborators.”

 

'WE WILL NOT REMAIN SILENT'

 

Pointing out that they were targeted because of their Kurdish identity, Paksoy said: “We have no faith that neither the Iraqi government nor the UN will protect us. We believe in each other as a people. Our ideology and beliefs are clear. We came here and became refugees because of Turkey's attacks.”

 

Stating that there should not be silence against the attacks, Paksoy addressed all oppressed people, especially the Kurdish people, and said:  “People should not be massacred anywhere in the world. The Kurdish people need to raise their voices, especially against the Barzani family.” 

 

Ezîme Kabul, another woman who was injured in the attack, said that the attack was directed against the Peace Mothers' house. Stating that the explosion occurred while she and another mother were sitting in front of the door of the house, Kabul said that mothers, children, elderly and ill people live in Mexmûr Camp. “The people living in this camp are civilians. We have been living in this camp since 1998.  We are inside Iraqi territory but the Iraqi government does not protect us. We came here because of Turkey's persecution and it does not leave us alone here. What does he want from us? It bombs Bashûr Kurdistan and Rojava every day. It bombs wherever there is a Kurdish civilian. These attacks are not because there is a military element. Will they be satisfied with Kurdish blood? There is not a single PKK guerrilla here. The soldiers of the Iraqi government are here” she said.

 

CALL FOR 'UNITY'

 

Pointing to the role of the KDP-Barzani family in the attacks, Kabul said: “The Barzanis have sold Kurdistan. They have sold not only Mexmûr camp but the whole Bashûr. There are dozens of Turkish bases in Bashour. All Kurds, especially the Kurds living in Bashûr Kurdistan, need to rise up. The Kurdish people need to make their own alliance. It is time for unity.”

 

Gûlê Özek, who was wounded in the attack, also condemned the attack. Özek stated that Turkey claims that there are PKK guerrillas in Mexmûr Camp, but this does not reflect the truth and that the attack was organized when they came together to visit the ill people. 

 

'IRAQ IS WATCHING THE ATTACKS'

 

Özek stated that they have been refugees for more than 30 years and the attacks against them continue and called for the following: “All states, especially the Iraqi government, are watching these attacks. Those who migrated here because of Turkey's attacks and bullying are living here. In Turkey, they burned our house and murdered our children. The Iraqi government should not turn a blind eye to these attacks. The UN says it is protecting us. Where is the UN? Turkey shot us mothers with a UCAV. The UCAV is still hovering over our heads here. I call on states that claim to protect human rights. They should fulfill their responsibilities. They should uphold what they call human rights. And the Kurdish people should say enough is enough.”