Makhmur, Iraq

Makhmur (Arabic: مخمور; Kurdish: مەخموور, romanized: Mexmûr)[1][2] is a town and district in northern Iraq, part of the disputed territories, situated approximately 60 kilometers southwest of the city of Erbil and approximately 80 kilometers south-east of the city of Mosul. Makhmur is claimed by both the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Federal Iraqi Government. The former asserts the town's place in the Erbil Governorate whilst the latter maintains its inclusion in the Nineveh Governorate. Control over parts of the town is an ongoing dispute.

Makhmur
مەخموور
Town
مخمور
Makhmur is located in Iraq
Makhmur
Makhmur
location of Makhmur
Coordinates: 35°46′32″N 43°34′46″E
Country Iraq
GovernorateDisputed between Erbil Governorate and Nineveh Governorate (de jure)
DistrictMakhmur District
Elevation
254 m (833 ft)
Population
 (2012)
 • Total23,828

Background

During the 2014 ISIL crisis, the town was captured by ISIL militants. Then by the PKK.[3] A volunteer civilian militia to defend the town was created in response.[4] The town was then reclaimed by the Iraqi Army in October 2017.

During the 2017 Iraqi–Kurdish conflict, clashes were reported on the outskirts of the town between Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi army, supported by the Popular Mobilization Forces (also known as Hashd al-Shaabi), until it was fully recaptured by the latter.[5]

Refugee camp
Main article: Makhmour refugee camp

Situated in the Makhmur District is the Makhmur refugee camp, which was founded in 1998.[6] Around 12,000 Kurdish refugees, who fled the Kurdish-Turkish conflict in the 1990s, live in this refugee camp.[7]

It has been subject to continuous drone strikes by the Turkish state. [8]

References
  1. "Nêzî mehek dorpêça li ser Mexmûr dewam dike". ANF News (in Kurdish). Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  2. "دانیشتووانی گوندێکی مەخموور هێرشێکی داعش تێکدەشکێنن" (in Kurdish). Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  3. Meet the PKK, Vice News
  4. Khalel, Sheren; Vickery, Matthew (20 August 2014). "The Locked and Loaded Carpenters of Makhmour". Foreign Policy Magazine.
  5. Peshmerga repel Iraqi forces attack in Makhmour, Rudaw. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  6. Çerny, Hannes (2018). Iraqi Kurdistan, the PKK and International Relations. Routledge. p. 260. ISBN 9781138676176.
  7. "'This is a betrayal': Kurdish villagers in Iraq say Turkey is 'no different from Isis'". The Independent. 2015-08-02. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  8. "Turkish drone strike on Makhmour refugee camp kills one". Medya News. 2022-08-29. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
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