Peshmerga tribute statue in Kirkuk left neglected
A prominent statue honoring Kurdish Peshmerga fighters in Kirkuk remains neglected eight years after its construction, with visible damage and no restoration efforts to date, sculptors behind the project said on Tuesday.
Despite its significance and strategic location, the monument has suffered from years of exposure to harsh weather and a lack of maintenance, Barzan Dalo, one of the sculptors involved in the project, told Shafaq News.
'No repairs or cleaning have been done since it was installed,' Dalo said, expressing that 'For those of us who helped build it, the current condition is painful to see.'
The 23-meter-tall monument, depicting a Peshmerga soldier holding a flagpole and an AK-47 rifle, was installed in 2017 at the northern entrance of Kirkuk, near the Shoraw roundabout on the road to Erbil. It was erected following major battles between Kurdish forces and ISIS, serving as a tribute to the Peshmerga's role in defending the city.
Mounting the rifle on the statue's shoulder was a deeply symbolic moment, Dalo stated, adding that 'It represented the spirit of the fighter who bravely protected Kirkuk.'
The monument was created by the 'Ustad Man Group,' a collective of Kurdish artists, during a period of intense public appreciation for the Peshmerga's sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.
Dalo criticized that, 'had this statue been an oil well, political groups in Kirkuk would have competed to maintain and invest in it. Unfortunately, it seems that symbolism means nothing without material benefit.'
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