Latest news with #AnfalCampaign
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Leader Barzani remembers Anfal: A mentality still threatens Iraq
Shafaq News – Erbil Kurdish Leader Masoud Barzani on Thursday commemorated the 42nd anniversary of the Anfal campaign against the Barzanis, describing it as part of a long series of crimes and injustices committed by successive Iraqi governments against the people of Kurdistan. In a message on Facebook, Barzani recalled that on July 31, 1983, the former Baath regime rounded up more than eight thousand Barzani men—some as old as ninety—who had been forcibly relocated to collective towns near Erbil. They were taken to the southern desert of Samawah and executed in one of the deadliest phases of the Anfal Campaign, later classified as genocide and ethnic cleansing. He linked the massacre to a broader mindset he described as 'a mentality of denial and chauvinism,' which, he warned, remains active in some political currents and continues to threaten Iraq's stability. 'As long as this mentality exists, Iraq will never rest,' he cautioned. While expressing deep respect for the souls of the martyrs and all those who died for the freedom of Kurdistan, he praised the resilience of survivors—especially the women who have borne their grief for decades.
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
‘A Black Mark': President Barzani calls for justice on Anfal anniversary
Shafaq News – Erbil Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Thursday marked the 42nd anniversary of the Anfal Campaign, calling on the Iraqi government to restore the rights of the victims' families. On X, Barzani described the crime as 'a black mark' in Iraq's history and a failed attempt to eliminate the Kurds, stressing that the former regime's efforts collapsed in the face of Kurdish resilience and determination. Barzani pointed to the enduring hardship faced by the victims' families, particularly the women who faced decades of grief, poverty, and marginalization, urging Baghdad to take 'all necessary steps to deliver justice.' 'Let the past, its suffering and injustice, be a lesson and reminder,' he noted, 'so that all components of Iraq can live together in mutual acceptance, respect, forgiveness, and in peace and dignity. Let the nation belong to all equally, without discrimination.' ئه‌مڕۆ چل و دوو ساڵ به‌سه‌ر تاوانى سامناكى ئه‌نفالكردنى هه‌شت هه‌زار هاووڵاتيى سڤيلى بێتاوانى بارزانيدا تێده‌په‌ڕێت. له‌م ياده خه‌مگينه‌دا، سه‌رمان له‌به‌رده‌م گيانى پاكياندا داده‌نوێنين و به‌وپه‌ڕى ڕێز و وه‌فادارييه‌وه به‌بيريان ده‌هێنينه‌وه. ئه‌نفالكردنى بارزانييان له‌لايه… — Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) July 31, 2025 On July 31, 1983, the former Baath regime rounded up more than eight thousand Barzani men and boys—most of whom had been forcibly resettled in collective towns near Erbil. They were transported to the southern desert of Samawah and executed in one of the deadliest phases of the Anfal Campaign, later classified as genocide and ethnic cleansing.
Shafaq News
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
PM Al-Sudani: Iraq has turned the page on Anfal-era tyranny
Shafaq News/ On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani commemorated the victims of the Anfal Campaign, condemning the atrocities committed against the Kurdish population 37 years ago by the former Ba'athist regime. In a post on X, Al-Sudani emphasized that Iraq has since turned the page on tyranny, affirming that the values of unity and peaceful coexistence have prevailed over the divisions the former regime sought to impose. The Anfal Campaign, launched in 1986 and peaking in 1988, was orchestrated by Ali Hassan al-Majid—known as 'Chemical Ali'—who served as the Ba'ath Party's Northern Bureau chief and military governor of the region. Military operations were led by then-Defense Minister Sultan Hashim. In May 3, 2011, Iraq's High Criminal Court officially classified the campaign as genocide and a crime against humanity. Al-Majid, also responsible for the chemical attack on Halabja, was sentenced to death and executed in 2010. The Kurdistan Regional Government commemorates the victims annually on April 14.
Shafaq News
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
PM Barzani on Anfal campaign: Iraq must compensate victims
Shafaq News/ On Monday, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani called on the Iraqi government to compensate the victims of the Anfal campaign on all levels. In a statement marking the 37th anniversary of the campaign by the former Iraqi regime, Barzani described it as an "ominous" action that constituted a genocide against the Kurdish people. 'Tens of thousands of innocent people were taken to the deserts of southern and central Iraq, where they were buried in mass graves, many of which remain undiscovered,' he explained. The tragic consequences of Anfal, he stressed, are still present today, urging the Iraqi government to fulfill its legal, constitutional, and moral obligations by compensating the victims' families and all those affected, both materially and morally. — Kurdistan Regional Government (@Kurdistan) April 14, 2025 The Kurdish PM reaffirmed his government's unwavering commitment to providing all forms of support and services to the families of all Kurdistan's martyrs, affirming that the memory of the fallen will remain 'alive and eternal' in the Kurdish collective conscience. Anfal Campaign The Anfal campaign, which began in 1986, intensified in 1988, and continued through 1989, was led by Ali Hassan al-Majid—infamously known as "Chemical Ali." He served as Secretary General of the Ba'ath Party's Northern Bureau and military governor of the region, while the military operations were commanded by former Iraqi Defense Minister Sultan Hashim. On May 3, 2011, the Iraqi High Criminal Court classified the Anfal campaign as a 'crime against humanity and genocide,' convicting al-Majid, who was also behind the chemical attack on Halabja. He was sentenced to death and executed on January 25, 2010. The Kurdistan Regional Government has designated April 14 annually as a day of remembrance for the victims of this genocide.
