European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 11, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse Sides maintain separate governments that control competing regions of Northern Iraq.-. -.,. A. By 1993, Ahmed had become a h.us band and father. He also had purchased a House for his Young family in Erbil which was controlled by the Kip. But last year after intensive fighting the Puk seized control of the City. Ahmed and his family found themselves living in enemy territory. In january Ahmed received a visit from the Puk they came and rang the Bell and we opened the Gate Ahmed said. They said you Are a member of Kip and we have come to loot your House they behaved just like someone who aps a Peter Jaeger had bought the furniture of the House. They were saying this is Good for us this is not Good they took furniture that they could sell on the Market to make Money like video sets and television sets and the electric washing Nachine and refrigerator and carpets and so on. They also threatened me that if i moved from Erbil to Salah and Din they d capture my family and maybe they d kill my by april Ahmed realized he would never be Safe if he remained in Erbil. He decided to strike out for Salah and Din which remains a Kip stronghold. He would leave his family behind at least for a while since there was no place for them to stay in Salah and Din. I moved them to some relative s House in an area where the people did not know my family so that they would t be captured Ahmed said. Then some one smuggled me from Erbil to Salah addin along some Back roads that few peo ple know of and that have no a kurdish Mother at left sits with her baby in a refugee Camp in Salah and Din. Below an unidentified kurdish so u r keeps watch near the Village of Khaner Iraq. Is photos by Ken George Ahmed later Learned that the Pur had confiscated his Erbil House. It is the Sec Ond House he has lost in less them a dec Ade. By August Ahmed had been away from his family for four months or on his life. That s \ Uri he arranged Tor his loved ones to he smuggled out of Erbil in his Cousin struck. He came to the checkpoint and the guards asked him for his identity caul said Ahmed who added his Cousin was bombarded with questions where Are. You going Why do you go this Way Why. Are you going to the Kip areas the Cousin told the guards Niewa fetching cargo to bring Back to Erbil. They finally allowed him to pass but Only after he bribed them giving them some cigarettes and Money Ahmed said. After the reunion he sent them Back to Erbil via a circuitous Road where the checkpoint guards would not recognize his family. Now he is More Active than Ever in the Kip. He is working closely with . Diplomats who last month brokered a tentative cease fire Between the Kip and Puk during a meeting in dub Lin Ireland. I am waiting for the implementation of this agreement specifically the part that says that Erbil must be demilitarized Ahmed said then i can go Back to my family find my House again and my family and live with them in but Ahmed has seen three previous agreements tattered by flare Between the Kip and Puk. Sporadic fighting broke out just four Days after last month s Accord and continues even now. And leaders of the groups appear deeply Cli vide Don the future of iraqi Kurdistan. Such political realities make it Tough for Ahmed to remain optimistic about a family reunion anytime soon. It s very difficult for me to live apart from my family especially my Little daughter he said. All the time i think of them and worry that they might be in danger. I live in and yet he remains philosophical about his plight noting that at least he has not lost any loved ones. My Story is no different than that of thousands of other iraqis Ahmed said. Only most of them Are much worse off than i monday september 11,1995 the stars and stripes 21
