A local ecological group has reported the killing of 36 mountain goats in the rural areas of the southeastern province of Şırnak.
The animals were shot with long-barreled weapons by village guards, the Şırnak Ecology Association claimed. Village guards are civilians armed and deployed by the gendarmerie in Kurdish-majority regions of the country during the four-decade long armed conflict.
The goats were found dead in the mountainous region between the villages of Cilbiya and Biliga in Silopi district and the Şenoba area in Uludere district, said the association.
Breeding season
The statement noted that the goats were killed during their mating and breeding season, calling it a severe violation. “Wildlife and the natural balance, which are ignored in this country, are being destroyed by individuals granted weapons and protection powers."
It added that the region has long been subject to what it described as systematic ecological destruction. “The war against nature, which has been ongoing for decades, continues to intensify across all areas,” the statement read.
Court cancels tender for hunting of vulnerable goat species, cites Berne Convention
The association called on the authorities to take immediate action and hold those responsible accountable.
“We call on all defenders of life, ecological movements, and activists across the country: now is the time to speak out against this massacre and show the necessary sensitivity,” the group said.
According to a report by Mezopotamya Agency (MA), a local resident claimed that complaints regarding the incident had not yielded any results. (TY/VK)
