Latest news with #IraqiTurkmenFront
Rudaw Net
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Iraqi PM sends committee to investigate Kirkuk Turkmen protests
Also in Iraq Sudani receives Turkish intel chief in Baghdad Kurds to unite against Diyala district changes Diyala governor to probe disappearance of nearly 400 gazelles All Kurdish oil exports to be handed over to Baghdad: Source A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An investigative committee sent by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani arrived Monday in Kirkuk's Prde (Altun Kupri) subdistrict to probe recent protests led by supporters of the Iraqi Turkmen Front over a Kurdish administrative appointment. Turkmen Front supporters held demonstrations last week over the appointment of a Kurdish woman as municipal director on the main Erbil-Kirkuk highway. They blocked traffic, smashed windows, and lit fires, briefly shutting down the road on Thursday, the final day of protests, before security forces dispersed the crowd. Abdullah Mirwais, a member of the Kirkuk Provincial Council, told Rudaw that the prime minister's delegation is headed by Ahmad al-Fatlawi, who chairs the high committee for interprovincial cooperation. The delegation met with Kirkuk Governor Rebwar Taha on Monday before visiting Pirde to assess the situation. A detailed report and recommendation will be presented to Sudani, Mirwais added. Protesters have demanded that one of three top local posts - municipal director, mayor, or police chief - be assigned to a Turkmen representative. The Kirkuk Provincial Council formed a committee on Thursday to follow up on the demonstrators' demands. Miwais said the dispute is politically motivated, linked more to upcoming elections than genuine grievances over representation. 'The position was previously held by a Kurd, meaning a Kurd was removed and another Kurd was appointed. It's not that a Turkmen was removed and a Kurd filled their place. Therefore, this is only for gaining future seats - the issue is more about elections,' he said. While top posts remain contested, Prde's mayor Abdulmutalib Najmadin told Rudaw in late June that Turkmens hold 12 out of 17 local offices in Prde - including directors of hospitals, banks, the notary office, emergency police, and others. 'Kurds are the majority in Pirde, but despite this, we have always shown flexibility,' Mirwais said. 'Unfortunately, some politicians mislead this nation [Turkmens]. We completely believe in coexistence and brotherhood between Kurds, Turkmens, and Arabs, which is why the majority of positions are held by them.' The Turkmen Front is particularly active in Kirkuk's politics and has repeatedly claimed that the city, disputed between Erbil and Baghdad, belongs to the Turkmen people. In addition to supporters of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, Turkmen members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi) and cadres from the Badr Organization also joined the protest, according to Rudaw's reporter on the ground and accompanying footage. Nahro Mohammed contributed to this report.
Rudaw Net
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Ankara backs Turkmen in dispute over Kirkuk mayoralty
Also in Middle East Turkish intel chief discusses PKK with Kurdish leaders in Erbil Syrian government under fire for arresting Kurdish journalist Family of two Iraqis killed in Turkey demand justice Ministry confirms two Iraqis killed in Turkey A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkey's Foreign Ministry on Friday expressed support for Turkmen in Kirkuk, saying they are understandably upset about the appointment of a Kurdish woman as mayor of Prde (Altun Kupri) sub-district. 'The appointment of a non-Turkmen director to the Altunkopru Municipality, where the Turkmen population is dense, has understandably caused unease and disappointment among the Turkmen community,' Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli wrote on X. 'It is our fundamental expectation that our Turkmen kin are duly represented within Iraq's political and state structures,' he added, noting that developments in Kirkuk are being 'closely and sensitively followed' by Ankara. The appointment of a Kurdish woman as municipal mayor of the disputed sub-district triggered days of protests this week by supporters of the Iraqi Turkmen Front. Turkmen members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF or Hashd al-Shaabi) and cadres from the Badr Organization were also seen at the protests, according to Rudaw reporters on the ground and footage of the demonstrations. Some protesters, reportedly armed, stormed the municipality building, smashing windows and doors before being dispersed by security forces. Others set fires and shut down traffic on the main highway connecting Erbil and Kirkuk. The road was closed for over an hour on Thursday before security forces reopened it. Protesters demanded that one of three key positions in the town - mayor, sub-district administrator, or police chief - be given to a Turkmen. The Turkmen community, particularly in Kirkuk, has long called for greater political representation in the province's government. Turkey, which sees the Turkmen population as its ethnic kin, has consistently advocated for their rights in Iraq. Kirkuk Provincial Council member Abdullah Mirwais told Rudaw on Thursday that the unrest is being politicized by certain factions ahead of federal elections, scheduled for November. 'Turkmens, Kurds, and Arabs as ethnicities have no problems with each other, but parties sometimes stir up these issues for their own gains,' he said. The Iraqi Turkmen Front is reportedly split on how to respond to recent appointments, following an internal rift between former leader Hassan Turan - who resigned in April - and Arshad al-Salihi, the party's current head in parliament and Turan's predecessor. The party remains a key political force in the disputed oil-rich province and has repeatedly claimed that Kirkuk 'belongs to the Turkmen people.'
Rudaw Net
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Erbil-Kirkuk road reopens after Turkmen protests over appointment of Kurdish official
Also in Iraq Makhmour camp residents warn of 'humanitarian catastrophe' amid blockade Iraq appoints new chief justice following judicial turmoil Sudani orders monitoring of water flow from Turkey Austrian ambassador praises President Barzani's role in Iraq ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The main Erbil-Kirkuk highway reopened on Thursday after supporters of the Iraqi Turkmen Front blocked it for over an hour in protest of recent administrative appointments in the disputed subdistrict of Prde (Altun Kupri) in Kirkuk province. The protest follows Monday's demonstration, when Turkmen Front supporters stormed the Prde municipality building in objection to the appointment of a Kurdish woman as the new municipal mayor. The demonstrators demanded that one of three key positions in the town - municipal mayor, subdistrict administrator, or police chief - be given to a Turkmen representative. Some protesters, reportedly armed, smashed windows and broke down doors before being dispersed by security forces. Others lit fires and briefly shut down the Erbil-Kirkuk highway. Protests resumed on Thursday, once again blocking the highway. Security forces reopened the road after about an hour. A committee was formed by the provincial council later that day to follow up on the protesters' demands. Prde's administrative posts remain a point of contention. The local mayor told Rudaw that Turkmens currently hold 12 out of 17 local positions but are now seeking one of the top roles. Kirkuk provincial council member Abdullah Mirwais told Rudaw that political factions are stoking unrest for electoral gain in the upcoming federal elections scheduled for November. 'At a time when elections are approaching, some politicians are getting involved in these affairs,' he said. 'Turkmen, Kurds, and Arabs as ethnicities have no problems with each other, but [political] parties sometimes stir up these issues for their own gains.' The Iraqi Turkmen Front has reportedly been divided over how to respond to recent appointments, amid a rift between its former leader Hassan Turan - who resigned in April - and Arshad al-Salihi, the party's parliamentary leader and Turan's predecessor. The party remains a key player in Kirkuk's politics and has repeatedly claimed that the city, disputed between Erbil and Baghdad, belongs to the Turkmen people. In addition to supporters of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, Turkmen members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi) and cadres from the Badr Organization also joined the protest, according to Rudaw's reporter on the ground and accompanying footage.
Rudaw Net
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Turkmen Front supporters block Erbil-Kirkuk highway over Kurdish appointment
Also in Iraq Kurdish, Iraqi forces kill 'three terrorist' in Kirkuk Erbil, Baghdad edge toward oil export deal despite oil volume dispute: Sources Baghdad hotel venue for Arab Summit hit by fire Nearly 400 gazelles go missing in Diyala province reserve A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Supporters of the Iraqi Turkmen Front on Monday stormed the municipality building in Prde (Altun Kupri), a disputed town in Kirkuk province, in protest of the appointment of a Kurdish woman as its new head. Some protesters, reportedly armed, broke windows and doors before security forces dispersed them. Others set fires and temporarily blocked the main Erbil-Kirkuk highway as demonstrations escalated throughout the day. The newly appointed municipality director is a Kurdish woman from the city. The demonstrators demand that one of three key positions in the town - municipality director, subdistrict administrator, or police chief - be assigned to a Turkmen representative. Protesters told Rudaw they would continue demonstrations until one of these posts is granted. In addition to Turkmen Front supporters, Turkmen members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi) and cadres from the Badr Organization joined the protest, according to Rudaw's reporter. Among them was Ahmad Ramzi, a member of Kirkuk's provincial council representing the Turkmen Front. The Turkmen Front has reportedly been divided over how to respond to recent administrative appointments in disputed areas, with a rift between its former head Hassan Turan - who resigned in April - and Arshad al-Salihi, the current head in the Iraqi parliament and Turan's predecessor before 2021. The party is particularly active in politics in the disputed city of Kirkuk, repeatedly claiming that the city belongs to the Turkmen people. Hiwa Hussamadin contributed to this report.
Shafaq News
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Turkmen say it's their turn: Push for province status in Iraq
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, the head of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, Mohammed Semaan, called on Iraq's federal government and parliament to grant provincial status to the districts of Tal Afar and Tuz Khurmatu. He described the move as a key component of the Turkmen political agenda and a necessary step toward administrative justice. 'The demand was rooted in the Turkmen community's long history of political exclusion and sacrifices in the fight against terrorism,' he added, arguing that granting province status to the two districts would mirror the Iraqi parliament's recent decision to recognize Halabja as the country's 19th province. 'This is not merely an administrative adjustment—it is about recognizing the suffering and contributions of the Turkmen people, who have consistently stood for Iraq's sovereignty and unity,' Semaan said. He added that Tal Afar and Tuz Khurmatu have long been deprived of basic development and equitable governance, and called on all political blocs and parliamentarians to support what he described as a constitutional and national entitlement. The proposal aligns with Iraq's broader efforts to promote administrative decentralization and devolve greater authority to local governments. Semaan said elevating Tal Afar and Tuz Khurmatu to provinces would help correct longstanding imbalances in representation and public service delivery. The demand also reflects growing momentum among minority groups for greater political recognition following the parliamentary vote on Monday to designate Halabja—long treated as a district within al-Sulaymaniyah province—as an independent province. That vote followed years of delays due to political disputes.
