logo
President Barzani honors Halabja victims with moment of silence

President Barzani honors Halabja victims with moment of silence

Shafaq News16-03-2025
Shafaq News/ In a solemn ceremony on Sunday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and staff at the Regional Presidency observed a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the 16 March 1988 chemical bombing of Halabja.
In a statement issued on the anniversary, President Barzani called on the Iraqi government to complete the process of designating Halabja as a province, stressing that "the international community must continue its efforts to prevent such crimes anywhere in the world."
Earlier in the day, thousands in Erbil, the capital of the Region, observed a minute of silence to mark the 37th anniversary of the Halabja chemical attack.
The memorial, held at the city center and various public locations, saw participation from local officials, employees, and citizens, while the Kurdistan Parliament also conducted its own commemorative session.
The attack, ordered by Saddam Hussein's regime, killed more than 5,500 civilians—primarily women and children—and injured thousands, many of whom continue to suffer severe health repercussions.
International reports indicate that the Halabja bombing was part of a broader campaign of genocidal crimes carried out by Saddam's regime in southern Kurdistan, which also included violent assaults against the Feyli Kurds, resulting in dozens of deaths and the displacement of thousands, with many still missing.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Over one-third of Iraqi MPs absent from Sunday's parliamentary session
Over one-third of Iraqi MPs absent from Sunday's parliamentary session

Shafaq News

time8 minutes ago

  • Shafaq News

Over one-third of Iraqi MPs absent from Sunday's parliamentary session

Shafaq News – Baghdad More than a third of Iraq's lawmakers failed to attend Sunday's parliamentary session, which included votes on key legislative items, according to an official statement from the Council of Representatives. The parliamentary media department said the agenda featured nine items, including a vote on the second amendment to the Political Prisoners Foundation Law (No. 4/2006). Out of the total 329 members of parliament, 123 lawmakers were absent from the session, the statement confirmed. This marks the second consecutive day the legislature has failed to reach quorum.

Houthis launch drone strikes on Israeli targets
Houthis launch drone strikes on Israeli targets

Shafaq News

time8 minutes ago

  • Shafaq News

Houthis launch drone strikes on Israeli targets

Shafaq News – Sanaa Yemen's Houthi movement (Ansarallah) announced on Sunday it had launched a new wave of drone strikes against Israeli targets in Jaffa, Ashkelon, and the port of Haifa. According to a statement by Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, three drones were deployed—two aimed at military installations in Jaffa and Ashkelon, and a third directed at Haifa port. Saree said the operation was part of Yemen's ongoing support for Gaza, vowing that such attacks would continue until Israel halts its military campaign and ends the blockade. Israeli media reports indicate that since the resumption of Israel's ground operations on March 18, the group has launched over 40 ballistic missiles and at least 10 drones toward Israel. بيان القوات المسلحة اليمنية بشأن تنفيذ ثلاث عمليات عسكرية استهدفت ثلاثة أهداف للعدو الصهيوني في يافا وعسقلان وحيفا بفلسطين المحتلة وذلك بثلاث طائرات مسيرة.بتاريخ3_8_2025م — العميد يحيى سريع (@army21yemen) August 3, 2025

EU remembers Yazidi ‘tragedy,' urges action to support return of displaced
EU remembers Yazidi ‘tragedy,' urges action to support return of displaced

Rudaw Net

time8 minutes ago

  • Rudaw Net

EU remembers Yazidi ‘tragedy,' urges action to support return of displaced

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The European Union on Sunday marked the 11th anniversary of the Yazidi 'tragedy,' calling for justice and better living conditions for displaced members of the community. The commemoration comes in memory of the brutal campaign launched by the Islamic State (ISIS) against the ethnoreligious minority in 2014. In a statement, the EU emphasized the 'importance of accountability for crimes committed by [ISIS] Da'esh against all victims of their terror,' including the Yazidi community. 'We welcome all actions by Iraqi authorities and international efforts to support this accountability,' the statement read. ISIS captured large parts of northern and western Iraq in mid-2014. In August of that year, the group launched a genocidal assault on the Yazidi community in the Shingal (Sinjar) region. An estimated 5,000 to 10,000 Yazidi men and elderly women were killed, while between 6,000 and 7,000 women and girls were abducted and subjected to sexual slavery and human trafficking. Around 400,000 Yazidis fled, with the majority taking refuge in the Kurdistan Region. The United Nations has officially recognized the campaign as genocide. Despite Iraq's formal declaration of victory over ISIS in 2017, more than 21,000 Yazidi families remain in displacement camps, primarily in the Kurdistan Region's northern Duhok province. Their return is chiefly hindered by unresolved security concerns and the continued presence of various armed groups in Shingal. For its part, the EU reaffirmed its support for 'Iraq's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity,' and emphasized the importance of protecting the country's ethnic and religious diversity, 'of which the Yazidi community is an integral part.' It further added that despite efforts by the Iraqi government, the Yazidi community 'continues to face obstacles preventing them from returning to their homes,' particularly in their ancestral heartland, Shingal. The Yazidis are impeded by 'security concerns and limited access to basic social services,' the EU noted. The EU also urged Baghdad and Erbil to implement the Sinjar Agreement, signed in October 2020 with the backing of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). The agreement aims to remove non-state armed groups from Sinjar, restore stability, and reestablish local governance. However, nearly five years on, the deal remains unimplemented. Earlier on Sunday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani called on Baghdad to shoulder full responsibility for the Yazidi heartland's security and development and 'no longer allow Shingal and Yazidi areas to become arenas for militia tensions and armed groups.' 'We stress the importance of implementing the agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi federal government to normalize conditions in Shingal,' President Barzani said, referencing the Shingal Agreement.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store