Turkish artillery causes large wildfire in Iraq's Duhok

Shafaq News/ A Turkish artillery strike on Friday ignited a large wildfire in Duhok province, northern Iraq.

Local sources confirmed the destruction of hundreds of dunams in Duhok's Mount Gara, burning farmland and forested areas near suspected Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) positions, while firefighting efforts were hampered by persistent security challenges.

Turkish bombardment across the Metina (Matin) and Gara mountain ranges has continued for several days, sparking multiple fires and causing widespread agricultural damage. Thousands of dunams of cultivated land and orchards have reportedly been destroyed.

Crops including grapes, walnuts, almonds, and sumac suffered extensive losses, dealing a serious economic blow to rural communities that rely on seasonal harvests for income.

According to the Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT), Turkish military operations in Iraqi Kurdistan escalated sharply in May—rising 143% compared to April—despite the PKK’s formal dissolution announcement.

CPT documented 510 Turkish attacks that month, all within Duhok province.