Another Turkish brutality against Kurds in Zakho
July 24, 2022, 5:10 pm

Another Turkish brutality against Kurds in Zakho

Zara Saleh1

The tourist village of Barakh, Zakho in Iraqi Kurdistan, which is only 5 km far from the Turkish border was one of the main targets for the Turkish bombardment on July 20. As a result, 9 people were killed including children and women while 31 civilians were injured. The place is well-known as a tourist hub and people across Iraq, especially from Baghdad and southern cities, flock to Zakho and villages nearby in the Kurdish region to find a sense of peace in such cool weather compared to other parts of Iraq where the temperature was peaking to 50c in Summer.

Since 2015, the Turkish army is regularly committing crimes against Kurds and carried out multiple airstrikes in the Kurdistan region in Iraq and in the north and northeast Syria as well as a long strategic Turkish campaign against Kurdish "separatists" according to the Turkish propaganda. Besides that, Turkey has created nearly 50 military bases inside the Kurdish territories in the federal region of Kurdistan as a part of old security and the military deal between Turkey and the former regime of Sadam Husain, which is now, considered illegal and not valid more so according to Iraqi government in Baghdad. In other words, Turkey is responsible for killing civilians and committing a massacre against Kurds as they are targeting Kurdish people everywhere, in Zakho, Sinjar, and in Syria's part of Kurdistan. Consequently, the Iraqi government condemned the Turkish attacks and aggression and called for Turkey to withdraw its military bases from Iraqi territories. Simultaneously with the Iraqi government's call for UN intervention, the Kurdistan Regional Government has also condemned the Turkish brutal attack against the people of the Kurdish region, and they asked for serious protection from the international community and to stop the Turkish aggression against civilians.

Zakho's massacre that was committed by Turkish President Erdogan and his military forces is not the only one, in fact, it is a long-running strategy against the Kurds everywhere. Such war crimes are carried out in Syria as in the Turkish region of Kurdistan and it has been always the Kurds that have been the main for Turkey's targets. For instance, going back to recent decades of Turkey's stories of the massacre against Kurds in Turkey as well, the Turkish army committed a similar massacre in 2011. In the Kurdish village of Roboski located in Turkey and close to the Iraqi border, the Turkish army killed 34 civilian Kurds including 17 children that are well-known as the "Roboski massacre". Similar to Zakho massacre, the Turkish government, and officials were ready to consider such "crimes" as a "legal" operation against terrorism. In fact, Turkey as a state continues to commit crimes against humanity and could be identified as a state of terrorism. Besides, Erdogan's relationship with ISIS and with Al-Nusra Front, and tens of militia jihadist groups of the Syrian opposition that are working and committing crimes against Kurds under the Turkish umbrella as a main source of terrorism. That is Erdogan's understanding of the term "sovereignty" of neighboring countries by occupying their territories and brutally killing the civilian people in front of the international community without any actions to stop such crimes against humanity.

BY: Zara Saleh

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.