Iraqi PM sends committee to investigate Kirkuk Turkmen protests
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
4 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Iraq FM: Conflict spillover would devastate Iraq, diplomacy is the only shield
Shafaq News – Baghdad Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein warned that any attempt to drag Iraq into regional wars would 'destroy' the country and the armed factions, stressing that Baghdad rejects the notion of unified battlefronts and insists Iraq's arena is solely its own. In a televised interview aired Saturday on Shams TV, Hussein outlined Iraq's approach to armed groups, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Law, relations with Iran and the United States, the Erbil–Baghdad dispute, regional conflicts, and the future of Kurds in Syria. وزير الخارجية العراقي فؤاد حسين: لولا قوات التحالف الدولي لكان تنظيم "دا.عــ.ـش" يسيطر على أجزاء واسعة من العراق. #العراق #فؤاد_حسين — Shams TV قناة شمس (@shamsnewstv) August 17, 2025 Avoiding Regional War Hussein credited Iraq's survival amid neighboring conflicts to a dual-track approach: dialogue with armed groups at home and diplomacy abroad. He revealed Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Shia leaders had warned faction commanders of the dangers of unilateral actions, while Baghdad reached out to Washington and European capitals to prevent Israel's war from spilling into Iraq. 'We made it clear that Iraq has only one arena, which is Iraqi, and we reject the concept of unified battlefronts,' Hussein pointed out, warning that dragging Iraq into conflict would destroy the country and its factions. He added that despite some continued strikes on US bases, Baghdad's firm position had restrained wider escalation. Disarmament and the PMF Law On why 'militias' could be contained but not disarmed, Hussein affirmed that force was not an option. ' Disarmament by violence would risk civil war,' he cautioned, arguing instead for Shia dialogue first, followed by a national dialogue across communities. 'Weapons outside state control remain unacceptable but must be addressed through reason, not confrontation.' He compared Iraq's situation to Lebanon, where decades of failed attempts to disarm Hezbollah showed that 'the language of arms only produces more destruction.' Regarding the PMF Authority Law in parliament, Hussein said he was the only minister to object, citing the tense regional climate. 'Sometimes an issue is valid, but the timing is wrong,' he said, noting that such legislation has unavoidable security and military implications. Relations with Iran and the United States Hussein rejected claims that Tehran dictates Baghdad's decisions. 'It is not true to say Iran rules Iraq, but it is also not true to say Iran has no influence,' he remarked, pointing to Iraq's weakened sovereignty since UN sanctions in 1991 and the 2003 invasion. On Iranian National Security Adviser Ali Larijani's visit, he described it as a routine trip, not a special mission. Discussions focused on bilateral ties and avoiding wider war. He added that Tehran thanked both Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region for their positions during the recent 12-day conflict inside Iran. As for Washington, Hussein confirmed US opposition to the PMF law but said Iraq's national interest requires a single military authority. He underscored Iraq's reliance on the Global Coalition, noting that without its intervention, ISIS would still control Baghdad and Erbil. 'Now the question is—who will protect Iraq if another war comes?' he asked. Iraq's Neutrality and Soft Power Hussein rejected labeling Iraq as neutral. 'We are against war. That is not neutrality—it is principle,' he said, explaining that Iraq lacks 'hard power' and instead must rely on diplomacy and soft power to safeguard its interests. Erbil–Baghdad Relations On ties with the Kurdistan Region, Hussein considered the root of the dispute lies in Baghdad's centralist mindset, which clashes with the federal constitution. He pointed to the absence of long-promised legislation, including the Oil and Gas Law and the Federal Council, which has forced reliance on outdated centralist laws, describing the current oil revenue-sharing deal as temporary, and stressing that a lasting arrangement must guarantee the Kurdistan Region's fixed share without federal interference in salaries or local revenues. Syria, the Kurds, and Regional Stability Turning to Syria, Hussein related the instability there to Iraq, warning that Syria remains fragmented with the presence of Turkiye, US, French, Israeli, and Russian forces, in addition to ISIS remnants. 'This reality requires new approaches based on decentralization and democracy,' he argued, stressing that centralization fuels division while decentralization can preserve unity. On Kurdish aspirations, he said independence is not on the agenda. 'Dreams remain dreams, but reality is different. Kurds in Syria are struggling for rights within a democratic, decentralized state, not for separation.'
Shafaq News
6 hours ago
- Shafaq News
PM Al-Sudani: Iraq's Riyada Initiative delivers 22,000 jobs
Shafaq News – Baghdad On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced that nearly half a million people have registered for the government's Riyada Initiative, which has so far created around 22,000 jobs through loans. According to a statement from the Prime Minister's media office, nearly half a million Iraqis aged 18 to 50 have registered for the program. Over the past 18 months, more than 90,000 participants have undergone training, 48,000 have completed it, and 12,000 loans have been disbursed. The Parliamentary Committee on Labor, Social Affairs, and Displaced Persons pointed out that nearly 15 million Iraqis are unemployed. Among the government's responses to this crisis is the Riyada Initiative, launched in March 2023 to support young people through loans and small projects aimed at boosting the private sector and creating jobs. Training activities began in July 2023, and the first batch of loans was released in March 2024, drawing broad participation from Iraqi youth.
Shafaq News
a day ago
- Shafaq News
Walk through history: Inside the home of a Kurdish hero
Shafaq News – Al-Sulaymaniyah The home of Sheikh Mahmoud Hafid Barzangi, known as the "King of Kurdistan," has been transformed into a museum showcasing his role in early 20th-century Kurdish uprisings against British rule. Located in Darikala, a village between Garmian and Al-Sulaymaniyah, the house retains modest furnishings, family photographs, and rugs that were used during his campaigns. Shafaq News correspondent toured the residence, capturing artifacts that reflect Sheikh Mahmoud's efforts for Kurdish autonomy and his advocacy for an independent Kurdish state. Born into a family with both religious Sufi and tribal influence, Sheikh Mahmoud Hafid, also known as Mahmoud Hafidzadeh Barzangi, emerged as a prominent political and social leader. He led a series of Kurdish uprisings in the 1920s, earning the title "King of Kurdistan" during a turbulent period in Iraq's history. One of his most notable battles took place at Bazian Pass (Darbendi Bazian), where he secured the strategic passage. The site later became known as the "Rock of Freedom" and was eventually converted into a public park called Berde Qaraman in Kurdish.
