(AINA) -- Members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militia entered and occupied eight Assyrian villages in north Iraq yesterday. The villages are Hezani, Belmand, Khalilane, Zoly, Kashkawa, Meroke, Rabatke, and Upper Hezani. All the villages are in areas controlled by the Kurdish Regional government of north Iraq.

One of the homes occupied in Upper Hezani belongs to Emmanuel Khoshaba Youkhana, the leader of the Dwekh Nawsha Assyrian fighting force.

All of the villages are still under occupation.

Assyrian leaders fear that Turkey will bomb the villages to drive the Kurdish fighters out, and destroy the villages in the process.