Shafaq News/ The availability of wild herbs in Shiladze markets hasdropped significantly this year due to the ongoing armed conflict between theKurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Turkish army in the Al-Amediyah districtof northern Duhok, residents and traders say.
The armed conflict between the sides has also displaced residents ofabout 250 villages in the district.
Iqbal Doski, a local activist, told Shafaq News Agency that residentswho relied on collecting wild herbs as a primary source of income, especiallyin spring, can no longer access remote mountainous areas due to Turkishairstrikes and clashes.
"Shiladze is now surrounded by Turkish forces and hidden PKKpositions, facing near-daily bombardment, making it difficult for locals tocarry out their traditional work," Doski said.
Hussein Rikania, a wild herb collector, said this year's intensifiedmilitary escalation has limited their movement.
"We can no longer reach remote areas where high-quality herbs growas we used to. The collection is now restricted to areas close to the city,which has severely impacted our income. In past years, we gathered tons ofherbs, but unfortunately, this year’s yield has dropped drastically," hesaid.
Ali Rikania, a shop owner in Shiladze's herb market, confirmed that in previousyears, tons of wild herbs were recieved, but this year, the quantities barelyreached a few hundred kilograms.
The herbs sold in the market include a variety of plants commonly usedin cooking, appetizers, and traditional dishes.