Special Report on Marivan
The Hana Human Rights Organization seeks, despite the severe wartime conditions and the nationwide internet shutdown, to inform the public about the situation in the cities of Kurdistan through its sources by providing regular, city-by-city reports.
Hana expresses deep concern over the intensifying humanitarian and social consequences of the wartime situation in Marivan and reports that field information collected in recent days indicates a simultaneous deterioration of living conditions, an increased presence and movement of government forces, and growing public anxiety among residents.
According to field assessments, the escalation of wartime conditions in Marivan has not remained limited to military threats but has directly affected the lives of civilians in multiple dimensions. Many families are facing serious difficulties in meeting basic needs, including housing, medical treatment, access to medicine, and maintaining minimal livelihoods. This situation has emerged while citizens were already struggling with severe economic pressures, rising prices, unemployment, and a continuous decline in purchasing power.
Hana also reports that the closure of parts of the local market, the evacuation of commercial units located near military centers, and the temporary relocation of part of the city’s population clearly indicate the expansion of insecurity and disruption of normal civilian life. Local estimates suggest that roughly one-fifth of Marivan’s population (an approximate estimate) has temporarily left the city. In areas such as the Sepah Passage and its surroundings, the complete evacuation of shops and the transfer of goods to safer locations have been observed.
Although no widespread shortages of essential goods have yet been reported, ongoing disruptions in transportation, reduced inflow of goods, and rapidly rising prices have seriously weakened citizens’ real access to basic necessities. The sharp increase in food prices and the inability of some residents to cover medical and pharmaceutical expenses represent a serious warning sign regarding the humanitarian situation.
At the same time, Hana’s field information indicates an expansion in the presence and a shift in the deployment pattern of government armed forces in the city. Continuous patrols by vehicles affiliated with government institutions, periodic deployment of armed personnel at major squares and intersections, the establishment of nighttime checkpoints, and the relocation of some forces to non-military locations—including sports halls, hospitals, and government buildings—collectively reflect the intensification of the military and security atmosphere within Marivan’s urban environment.
The deployment of government forces in civilian environments, alongside the presence of heavy and semi-heavy weaponry in urban spaces, creates serious direct and indirect risks to the safety and lives of civilians and increases their vulnerability in the context of conflict.
Socially, the city’s public atmosphere reflects a mixture of hope, anticipation, and concern. While some residents express satisfaction over the weakening of the government’s military and security centers, there is deep anxiety regarding the political and security future after the war. Many citizens fear that if hostilities end without clear and lasting change, a new wave of security pressure, widespread arrests, and executions may follow.
According to today’s field observations, the event known as the “Quds Day march” in Marivan was held with very limited participation from government supporters. The number of participants was estimated at fewer than 50 people, while approximately 300 security personnel were deployed to protect the gathering. This ratio more than anything reflects the clear gap between the government’s security structure and the actual social reality in the city.
The Hana Human Rights Organization warns about the intensifying humanitarian and security consequences of the war for civilians and calls for the immediate attention of human rights and humanitarian institutions to the situation of the people of Marivan and other cities of Kurdistan affected by the consequences of war and increasing securitization.
Hana Human Rights Organization
14 March 2026