Tourists killed by NATO Turkey strikes in Iraq: Yazidis suffer
Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The armed forces of Turkey have killed tourists in Northern Iraq. It is known that at least eight tourists – including a very young child – were killed by artillery strikes. The death toll might increase further because at least 20 other individuals were injured.
NATO Turkey occupies Northern Cyprus and parts of Northern Syria – while this nation also helped Azerbaijan to kill Armenian Christians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hence, violating the sovereignty of regional nations is a natural phenomenon for this NATO member.
The Washington Post reports, “Dozens of wounded people sat outside the hospital. Critically injured patients, including young children with stunned faces, were transferred in gurneys. Inside, a toddler was pronounced dead along with her mother.”
It is known that four artillery shells fired by NATO Turkey hit the tourist resort in the environs of Barakh (Zakho district – Kurdish semi-autonomous region). In the Bidar Hospital (Dohuk province), they report nine deaths.
Voice of America quotes the words of Mustafa Aala, who was at the resort when the bombing by NATO Turkey began. He said, “We go towards the mountainside, there are strikes. We go towards the waterfall, there are strikes. We go towards this side, there are strikes.”
America’s intervention in Iraq – along with other NATO powers and allies that participated – led to a failed state where 80 percent of all Christians have fled, the Yazidis were enslaved by ISIS (Islamic State – IS) and butchered, and other minorities suffer greatly. Sectarianism also spread (Shia and Sunni tensions) after the convulsions unleashed by America and various allies. Therefore, Turkey and Iran hold important sway inside the failed state of Iraq: Iran is more important concerning most of Iraq outside of Northern Iraq, where Turkey utilizes oil and bombs Kurdish forces at random.
Yazidis who are caught up in the intrigues of this NATO power have also been killed in recent military attacks in Northern Iraq. Associated Foreign Press reports, “The heartland of Iraq’s Yazidi minority, Sinjar is frequently targeted by Turkish airstrikes against bases of Turkey’s separatist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).”
Last month, Al-Monitor reported on another Yazidi child killed by Turkey. Murad Ismael, a prominent Yazidi activist, told Al-Monitor, “Iraq has the ultimate responsibility to stop Turkey from attacking Sinjar.”
The Yazidi activist continued, “The international community also has a moral responsibility towards Yazidis and the people of Sinjar. It is both painful and illogical that these attacks go [unaddressed] as if they are legitimate. It seems Turkey can get away with anything.”
Yazidis were forcibly converted to Islam, butchered, and enslaved by ISIS. Even now, thousands of Yazidis remain enslaved by ISIS. Thus, for NATO Turkey to be bombing Yazidis in Iraq is too astonishing to believe. However, it is happening because of international silence and no accountability.
Other NATO powers, including America, France, and the United Kingdom, have bombed nations in the Balkans, North Africa, the Middle East, and where Central and South Asia meet. The recent humiliation in Afghanistan sums up the wanton failure of this organization. At the same time, under the former leader, Barack Obama, who utilized drones to a high degree and continues today under President Joe Biden, countless civilians have been killed in drone attacks.
Voice of America reports, “Turkey regularly carries out airstrikes in northern Iraq and has sent commandos to support its offensives as part of a long-running campaign in Iraq and Syria against militants of the Kurdish PKK and the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia. Ankara regards both as terrorist groups.”
Turkey is threatening a fresh military operation in Northern Syria. At the same time, the occupation of Northern Cyprus continues decade after decade. Turkey is also involved in Libya after this nation was destabilized by the NATO powers of America, France, and the United Kingdom.
Of course, no international sanctions on these NATO powers – and Japan is extremely silent. Hence, the deaths keep flowing in the paths of NATO where “international law” is negated – and democracy is but a word for the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and others reeling from the convulsions of NATO intrigues.
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