Halabja becomes Iraq's 19th province
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Halabja has officially become Iraq's 19th province after the law was published in the Official Gazette of Iraq on Monday.
'From today, the law of organizing Halabja province has entered into implementation. Congratulations to all the people of Kurdistan and Iraq, and especially the sincere citizens and people of Halabja,' Iraqi Justice Minister Khalid Shwani said in a video statement.
On Tuesday, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid ratified the law, after the Iraqi parliament in mid-April passed the long-awaited bill in a session attended by 178 of the legislature's 329 members, formally recognizing Halabja as a province.
The Iraqi Council of Ministers had in December 2013 approved a proposal to make Halabja the country's 19th province, separating it from Sulaimani province. However, political disputes between Erbil and Baghdad, as well as division among Sunni and Shiite lawmakers, stalled the bill for more than a decade.
Halabja holds deep symbolic importance for Kurds and stands as a testament to their resilience.
On March 16, 1988, near the end of the eight-year Iran-Iraq War, the forces of toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein bombed Halabja with chemical weapons. The gruesome attack claimed the lives of at least 5,000 people - mostly women and children - and injured thousands more.
The province today has a population of about 120,000 and it consists of four subdistricts: Khurmal, Biyara, Bamo, and Sirwan. It is also a tourist destination.
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