Penjwen residents face renewed trauma amid regional missile activity

Residents of Penjwen, a town in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan, are experiencing renewed trauma as drones and missiles fly over the border region. This follows the start of a conflict involving Israeli and American strikes against Iran on February 28.

The current aerial activity has resurfaced painful memories of the Iran-Iraq War, which began in September 1980. During that eight-year conflict, Penjwen was on the front lines; the town was heavily bombed, evacuated, and eventually razed by the Iraqi regime to prevent Iranian forces from establishing a base.

Local residents recount the devastation of the 1980s, including the 1987-1988 Anfal operation, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 180,000 Kurds. For those who lived through the destruction of their homes and schools, the recent sounds of missiles serve as a grim reminder of the region's history of instability.