Iraq's PM orders probe into military assault on Kurdish farmers in Kirkuk

Shafaq News

18-02-2025

Shafaq News/ Iraqi Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has ordered a high-level investigation into the recent assault on a group of Kurdish farmers in Kirkuk by Iraqi army personnel, the Security Media Cell said on Tuesday.
Al-Sudani also instructed the Deputy Minister of Justice to visit Kirkuk and oversee legal procedures concerning disputed farmlands between federal territories and the Kurdistan Region, an issue that Kirkuk Governor Rebwar Taha reaffirmed a day earlier.
The Joint Operations Command urged all security forces—including the army, police, Peshmerga, Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and intelligence agencies—to exercise restraint and adhere to legal and national directives. It also called on political factions to 'prioritize national interests, uphold constitutional law, and support security forces in maintaining stability and security.'
The altercation stemmed from a land ownership dispute. Kurdish farmers in Shanaga and nearby villages attempted to cultivate lands legally restored to them after the Iraqi Parliament approved the Restitution Law, but army forces allegedly prevented them from doing so, leading to the confrontation.
Kirkuk's governor confirmed on Monday that the soldiers responsible for the attack had been detained and that an investigative committee was established to examine the incident. He also requested the withdrawal of military forces from the area.
A security source told Shafaq News that an order from the Ministry of Defense was issued to detain a military unit from the 8th Division of the Iraqi Army following its clash with Kurdish farmers in Shanaga village, Dibis district, northwest of Kirkuk. The detained soldiers are being held at their division headquarters pending an investigation.
Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani strongly condemned the assault, comparing it to 'historical atrocities' committed against Kurds.
"The sight of Kurdish farmers being mistreated and forcibly prevented from reclaiming their lands evokes memories of the Al- Anfal campaign, chemical attacks, and genocide inflicted upon our people in the past century," Barzani said in a statement.
He described the military's actions as 'chauvinistic and inhumane,' accusing them of 'persecuting innocent Kurdish farmers whose only crime is being the rightful owners of the land.'
The Kurdistan Region Presidency also denounced the incident, calling it "unacceptable in any form."
After the Iraqi parliament approved the Restitution Law to return confiscated properties to their rightful owners, there have been significant hopes across various segments of society that the new law would include them.