An Ezidi refugee stands in front of the entrance to the Silopi refugee as a flag with Abdullah Ocalan’s face on it flies from a telephone pole. Source: Noah Blaser
After the uptick in fighting in Iraqi Kurdistan, thousands of Ezidis have fled their homes after the Islamic State overran the Peshmerga in numerous villages on the far western border of Kurdistan. What is Turkey’s policy towards these new refugees? Why is the PKK running a refugee camp in Turkey? What are the conditions like on Turkey’s borders with Iraq and Syria in the predominantly Kurdish southeast? How do those conditions differ from other border areas in Turkey? How do local people view the PYD’s YPG, as compared to the Peshmerga? And what does all of this mean for the current AKP led peace talks with the PKK?
Today, Aaron and Noah discuss these issues in the Turkey Wonk podcast.
Turkey Wonk: Nuclear and Political Musings in Turkey and Beyond 