Residents returned to more than 20 abandoned villages in Duhok province’s Amedi district on Monday following ongoing peace talks between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). However, hundreds of other border communities remain deserted.
Amedi Mayor Warhsin Mayi confirmed that residents had safely returned to 21 villages near Mount Gara. He said local families no longer face an immediate security threat in those areas. As a result, the region has entered a new period of relative stability after decades of conflict.
Intense bombardments and armed clashes previously forced residents to flee 197 villages in Amedi alone. The current peace process began in February 2025, when jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called on the group’s fighters to lay down their arms permanently. He also urged the group to shift from armed conflict to peaceful political engagement within Turkey.
The decades-long conflict has displaced residents from nearly 500 villages across the Kurdistan Region since the 1980s. During that time, the PKK used many rural areas as strategic hideouts, while the Turkish military cited its presence as justification for continued cross-border operations.
According to recent figures, families have yet to return to 276 of the 437 villages in Erbil and Duhok provinces. Sidakan Mayor Ihsan Chalabi said 118 villages in his district remain completely abandoned. He added that artillery shelling in the area stopped nearly two years ago.
Despite the improved security situation, residents continue to face risks in the mountainous border region. Turkish forces and PKK fighters still maintain a limited presence in some areas. Hidden landmines and unexploded ordnance also pose a serious threat to returning farmers.
Residents currently need official permission to access highland pastures for livestock grazing and farming. Chalabi stressed that permanent resettlement depends on comprehensive mine clearance and the withdrawal of all military forces.
In Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently asked parliament to delay its summer recess so lawmakers can pass legislation aimed at integrating former fighters into civilian life. Local officials believe the proposed law could support the broader peace process and encourage more families to return home.
Regional leaders hope the legal reforms in Turkey will strengthen the peace process and create lasting stability. They believe these measures could eventually allow thousands of displaced residents to rebuild their homes safely. Until then, many families continue to wait for lasting security along the mountainous border.