ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Kurdish farmer disappeared Wednesday night in Iraq’s disputed Kirkuk province, leaving his family and authorities perplexed after his cash and phone were found untouched in his truck. The suspected abduction of the father of four underscored the critical security vacuum in the region.
Forty-year-old Ari Ramazan disappeared in Prde (Altun Kupri) sub-district, 40 kilometers northwest of Kirkuk city, while returning from his orchard, according to his family who suspect the Islamic State (ISIS) is responsible.
“He is a farmer and all farmers this year are not doing well and their crops haven't made money. He was at his orchard and when he was leaving, they kidnapped him. He is married and has four children. This has become his daily route,” Shwan Baqir, a relative of Ramazan, told Rudaw on Saturday.
Ramazan’s truck was found near the village of Kalur between Prde and Kirkuk city. His phone and six million Iraqi dinars were left untouched, according to information obtained by Rudaw.
Locals said similar disappearances have happened in the past and blamed a security vacuum in the area.
“This is not the first time. Some time ago another man was kidnapped here and another was killed because there is no proper and good checkpoint in the area to prevent such acts,” Ahmed Yasin, another relative of Ramazan, said at the site where his truck was found.
“The area has fallen into a security vacuum between Peshmerga and the army. Both have neglected it and the people here have been harmed,” he added.
Iraqi security forces started searching the area on Thursday.
ISIS continues to pose a threat in disputed territories where there is an unclear division of responsibility between Iraqi forces and Kurdish Peshmerga. The militants periodically abduct people for ransom.
Tensions are also high in the area this week after a Kurdish woman was named mayor of Prde sub-district. Supporters of the Iraqi Turkmen Front and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have staged protests.
