The people of the village of Lacan, who had been compelled to leave their homes for three days due to the intervention of armed forces linked to the KDP, took down their tents on Monday evening and returned home. It was reported that their return became possible after the military deployment that had been in place since Saturday evening was lifted.
Over the past three days, security forces intensified pressure in Lacan and used mosque loudspeakers to call on residents to leave the village.
Tensions and clashes between forces affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and residents of the village of Lacan on the Erbil (Hewlêr) border have intensified over the past several days. A force of approximately five thousand, supported by tank-like armored vehicles and modern weaponry, launched a raid on Lacan.
After the raid, the village was placed under a full siege, and residents reported that they were being pressured into leaving their homes.
How did tensions begin?
According to information Rojnews obtained from villagers, Lacan, a village of roughly two hundred and fifty households, most of whom belong to the Herkî tribe, is generally known for its close ties to the KDP. Before the elections, KDP representative Berzan Qesab visited the village, asking residents for their votes and promising that their demands would be met after the elections and that they would be given employment in local companies. On this basis, villagers purchased one hundred and twenty-four transport tankers, but the KDP did not fulfill its promises.
When villagers went to the gates of the Lanaz Company to ask about the status of their demands, company officials reportedly escalated the situation. One official told them, “I swear on Mele Mustafa’s grave that I will not meet your demands.” In response, villagers said, “We swear on Mihê’s grave that we will not allow you to operate here.” Tensions rose sharply at that point.
After a villager who had spoken to the media was detained by KDP forces, local residents reacted strongly. Reports then emerged that one civilian had been killed and ten others injured.
More than five thousand KDP forces have surrounded the village
Forces affiliated with the KDP have kept Lacan village under siege for the past three days with more than five thousand armed personnel. All entry and exit points to the village have been brought under full control, and even seriously ill residents are reportedly being denied permission to travel to hospitals for treatment. Numerous villagers have also been forcibly taken to other areas, according to local accounts.
Who owns the Lanaz Company?
The Lanaz Company, which has been operating for years on land belonging to Lacan village, is owned by members of the Barzani family. Reports indicate that the company belongs to Mensur Barzani and his son. Some sources state that the company works directly with firms owned by the son-in-law of Turkey’s President Erdoğan and by his son Bilal Erdoğan.
It is reported that the majority of the company’s employees are Turkish workers receiving monthly salaries between one thousand five hundred and two thousand five hundred United States dollars, while employees from Southern Kurdistan (Başûr) are paid only five hundred United States dollars. When villagers demanded an increase in wages, the company allegedly brought in outside workers willing to work for even less, further escalating tensions.
Sources also report that the company has caused significant environmental and public health damage in the region, with rising cases of cancer as well as eye and respiratory illnesses.
KDP’s approach and the deeper background of its conflict with the Behdînan tribes
The conflict between the Behdînan tribes, particularly the Herkî tribe, and the KDP is said to have a long and complex history. A resident of Lacan stated that the KDP seeks to weaken the Herkî tribe through a divide-and-rule strategy.
According to sources, the energy trade routes shared between the Barzani family and the Erdoğan family, including the Xurmele oil field, parts of the natural gas pipeline, the Lanaz Company, the Erbil–Duhok oil line, and other major projects, run directly through the Herkî region. For this reason, the resistance in Lacan village directly threatens the interests of both the KDP and the Barzani family.
It has been confirmed that more than five thousand KDP soldiers have been deployed in and around the village, that residents have begun to be evacuated, and that several young villagers have been detained.
Gulan Forces under direct command
The forces pressuring the villagers are reported to belong to the First Unit of the Gulan Forces, which operate under the direct command of Mensur Barzani. The same unit is also remembered for opening the gates of Shengal to ISIS in 2014, leaving the Yazidi population to face genocide.
Security, defense and emergency units affiliated with the KDP have also been deployed to the area. Four checkpoints have been established inside and around the village, completely restricting the movement of residents. Reports indicate that even patients are being denied permission to travel to the hospital.
According to one source, the request of a Lacan villager to take his pregnant wife to Erbil for medical treatment was rejected. The same source stated that a mother, fearing the arrest of her son, suffered a stroke, yet KDP forces refused to allow the paralyzed woman to be taken to a hospital.