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Economic, trade activities normal in
Kurdistani Duhok despite Turkish offensive
29.2.2008
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February 29, 2008
DUHOK, Kurdistan region 'Iraq', --
Trade activities with Turkey have not been affected
by the military operations launched by Turkish
troops in Iraqi Kurdistan region, a media director
from the border province of Duhok said on Thursday.
"One week after the launch of Turkish military
operations against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)
fighters inside the Kurdistan region,www.ekurd.net
economic activities with
Turkish companies and the movement of goods and
individuals remain unaffected," Hoshnek Muhammad
said.
"Ibrahim Khalil border crossing in Zakho, Duhok
province, is witnessing many trade activities
between the two countries," Muhammad indicated,
noting, "none of the Turkish companies operating in
Duhok suspended their work."
Meanwhile, the head of Duhok's chamber of commerce,
Iyad Hassan Abdul Haleem, said that trade relations
and contracts with Turkey have remained unaffected
by the incursion.
"A total of 50 Turkish companies registered in the
chamber are currently operating in the city despite
the cross-border military operations by the Turkish
army," he added.
Thousands of Turkish troops, backed by tanks,
attack helicopters and warplanes,
crossed into Kurdistan region in northern
Iraq on February 21 in an operation which Ankara said was aimed at Turkey's Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas and their bases. The Turkish forces used
artillery and aircraft to back up its ground
campaign, destroying bridges and infrastructure in
the province amidst condemnation by the Iraqi and
Kurdistan governments.
Duhok, the third province within Iraq's autonomous
Kurdistan region,www.ekurd.net
lies 50 km south of the
Kurdistan-Turkish borders and 460 km north of the
Iraqi capital Baghdad.
Since 1984 the PKK
took up arms for self-rule in the country's mainly
Kurdish southeast of Turkey. A large Turkey's
Kurdish community openly sympathise with the Kurdish
PKK rebels.
The PKK demanded Turkey's recognition of the Kurds'
identity in its constitution and of their language
as a native language along with Turkish in the
country's Kurdish areas, the party also demanded
an end to ethnic discrimination in Turkish laws and
constitution against Kurds, ranting them full
political freedoms.
Kurds are not recognized as an official minority in
Turkey and are denied rights granted to other
minority groups.
VOI | Agencies
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