ERBIL - The mayor of Mergasor, in northern Erbil province, has held the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) responsible for the evacuation of the area by the residents as the armed group continues to militarily fight with the Turkish army inside the Kurdistan Region territories.

Talking to BasNews, Ghafour Ahmed, the mayor of Mergasor district, said that PKK's presence in the region is the main reason that the residents do not return to their place of origin.

He added that the PKK's excuse to stay in the area is to protect it from the Turkish army’s military operations, "while the PKK itself is a headache to the people of the area."

"Leave the area, we will secure it and will promise to facilitate the return of the residents as well," the official argued.

He further revealed that the Kurdish armed group is also causing several issues to civilians' properties, including burning their agricultural lands.

Bas News