Latest news with #AssyrianChristians
Rudaw Net
a day ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
‘Dangerous escalation': HRW condemns drone strikes on Kurdistan Region
Also in Kurdistan 24 Raparin migrants return to Kurdistan Region after month-long detention in Libya President Barzani urges Baghdad to facilitate Yazidi returns on genocide anniversary Suicide drone targets Erbil; no casualties Assyrian Christians trek to ancient church in Duhok A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The drone strikes on the Kurdistan Region's oil facilities are a 'dangerous escalation' that risks fueling disputes between Erbil and Baghdad, especially with shaky payments of the Kurdistan Region's public sector salaries, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday. The Kurdistan Region has come under nearly 20 rocket and drone attacks in recent weeks, including strikes on its oil fields. The Kurdish government has blamed Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi) for the attacks - charges strongly denied as 'unacceptable' by Baghdad. 'The drone strikes mark a dangerous escalation in a long-running dispute between Baghdad and Erbil over the control and distribution of oil revenues. As part of this dispute, Baghdad has been withholding funds for the regional government's public sector salaries since May,' HRW said in a report, urging both governments to investigate and prevent further attacks. The strikes have badly damaged the Kurdistan Region's oil infrastructure, halting production in some fields entirely and cutting total output by about 70 percent. No group has claimed responsibility, and there have been no new attacks since a new agreement was reached between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) earlier this month. 'Ultimately, it is the civilians in Kurdistan who are paying the heaviest price,' Sarah Sanbar, Iraq researcher at HRW, told Rudaw on Tuesday. 'Damage to Kurdistan's oil facilities has taken around 70 percent of production offline, which not only impacts the government's ability to fund itself through oil revenues, but also puts the right to electricity at risk, meaning less fuel for the people.' Aziz Ahmad, deputy chief of staff to Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, said earlier this month that the region has lost nearly 200,000 barrels of oil production due to what he described as 'a spate of drone attacks by criminal militias on the Iraqi government payroll.' The drone strikes also threaten the region's broader energy infrastructure and residents' access to electricity. The Khor Mor gas field in Sulaimani province, which supplies most of the Kurdistan Region's power generation, has been hit by drones at least nine times since 2023, including an attack in February 2025. A strike in April 2024 killed four workers and halted production for nearly a week. Despite pledges by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to investigate, authorities have yet to publish findings or hold anyone accountable, HRW said. The international community has largely condemned the attacks. The rights organization also condemned Baghdad's repeated suspension of public sector salaries in the Kurdistan Region, 'using payments as leverage to force concessions in negotiations over oil revenues.' For more than a decade, the federal government has at times withheld salaries from Kurdistan Region's public workers, while federal employees elsewhere in Iraq have continued to receive theirs. Kurdish officials accuse Baghdad of politicizing the issue; Iraqi authorities say the KRG has failed to meet financial obligations under the constitution. Baghdad's freeze on salaries has hurt the quality and delivery of essential services like healthcare and education, Sanbar said. 'We've seen an increase in what's known as dual practice,' she explained. 'Doctors spend only a few hours in public hospitals and then move to private clinics for the rest of the day.' As a result, only those who can afford private care receive adequate healthcare - undermining a constitutional guarantee, she added. Sanbar noted a similar pattern in education. 'Teachers have increasingly gone on strike because their salaries haven't been paid. And when teachers go on strike, it's children who are left out of school.' 'Ultimately, doctors and teachers aren't the ones responsible for this problem,' she stressed. The salary crisis has also hit local businesses, with 40 to 60 percent of the workforce employed in the public sector, meaning many families have cut spending. 'This leads to desperation, rising poverty, and growing anger toward Baghdad, which most Kurdish people see as responsible for their suffering,' Sanbar said. Earlier this month, the KRG and Baghdad finalized a deal aimed at resolving disputes over oil exports and financial transfers, though officials on both sides continue to blame each other for delays in implementing it. Baghdad has sent funds to cover May salaries, but payments for June and July remain pending. Shahyan Tahseen contributed to this report.
Rudaw Net
a day ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
24 Raparin migrants returned to Kurdistan Region after one month detention in Libya
Also in Kurdistan President Barzani urges Baghdad to facilitate Yazidi returns on genocide anniversary Suicide drone targets Erbil; no casualties Assyrian Christians trek to ancient church in Duhok Erbil university offers scholarship for international students A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - In the spring of their lives, 24 individuals from the Raparin administration who had set out on the path of migration with dreams of a better future were returned to the Kurdistan Region after being detained for a month in Libya. "We were 24 Kurdish people. We were held in four very small cells; each room was two meters long and one meter wide, and they had put four people in each cell,' Bahroz Ali told Rudaw on Tuesday about the poor treatment and conditions of the prisons in Libya. 'We still don't know what charges we were arrested on," Ali said. A Europe-based migrant rights activist, Ranj Pishdari, told Rudaw that more than 300 young people from Pishdar district and surrounding areas in eastern Raparin are leaving each week. The Libya-Italy route has become the preferred path over the more traditional Turkey-Greece corridor due to increased border restrictions and longer crossing times. "The smuggler deceived us. After we were arrested [in Libya], he never came back to us, while we had paid him three thousand dollars to reach Libya," Daniyar Ali told Rudaw, denying the claims of the smuggler for attempts to follow up on their condition,' he never reached out to follow up on our condition.' According to information obtained by Rudaw, one of the most influential smugglers currently operating in Libya is a Kurd originally from Raparin, identified by the initials H.K. Though based in Europe, he has temporarily relocated to Libya to oversee smuggling operations and organize sea crossings for Kurdish migrants. Another surviving migrant highlighted the poor conditions and mistreatment in Libyan prisons, describing them as another bitter chapter in the story of these migrants. 'We were in really bad conditions. We were tortured and mentally abused. They were really bad with us.' Abdullah Idris, another migrant, said. The wave of youth migration through Libya has made the work of the Iraqi embassy in that country more difficult. Musanna Amin, a member of the Iraqi Council of Representatives who played a key role in the release of these migrants, gives a warning regarding the issue. "In Libya, most areas are under the control of armed groups. The route that young people migrate through is a very dangerous route, and annually, several migrants become victims in that country and lose their lives." Muthanna Ali, a member of the Iraqi Council of Representatives who played a key role in the release of these migrants, said. 'We have received many dead bodies from Libya to the Kurdistan Region,' he stressed. Libya remains a major transit country for migrants due to its strategic location and proximity to Italy. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that around 719,000 migrants were registered in Libya in 2024. Crossing the Mediterranean is one of the deadliest migrant routes. According to the IOM, more than 31,700 people have died or gone missing at sea since 2014. Thousands of Kurds attempt the perilous journey to Europe each year, with many passing through Libya. The migration wave from Qaladze - the administrative center and capital of Pishdar - and other areas in the district is largely fueled by high unemployment and limited economic opportunities, despite the region's agricultural potential. The Kurdistan Region has witnessed repeated waves of youth migration over the past decade, largely driven by economic hardship and the search for better opportunities abroad. Abubakr Ismael contributed to this article.
Rudaw Net
2 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
President Barzani urges Baghdad to to facilitate Yazidi returns on genocide anniversary
Also in Kurdistan Suicide drone targets Erbil; no casualties Assyrian Christians trek to ancient church in Duhok Erbil university offers scholarship for international students Dutch photojournalist recording Kurdish history re-visits Kurdistan A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - On the 11th anniversary of the Yazidi genocide by the Islamic State (ISIS), Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani reaffirmed commitment to Yazidi rights and well-being, urging Baghdad to implement a key 2020 agreement with Erbil aimed at 'restoring normalcy' in the Yazidis' ancestral homeland Shingal (Sinjar) and facilitate the return of displaced Yazidis. Speaking at a commemoration event in Erbil, the Kurdistan Region Presidency spokesperson Dilshad Shahab quoted President Barzani as emphasizing that 'it is fundamentally the responsibility of the Iraqi government to ensure that [Shingal] Sinjar and the Yazidi regions do not become battlegrounds for armed factions and militias.' The ongoing instability in Shingal is 'a significant injustice' to the Yazidis who 'deserve support to heal and rebuild their lives,' he added. President Barzani further urged Baghdad 'to reestablish peace, security, and essential services' in Shingal and its surroundings to reassure the Yazidis 'that they can safely return and rebuild their communities.' He also reiterated the need to implement the October 2020 Shingal Agreement between Baghdad and Erbil. The deal brokered with the support of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) aims to eliminate non-state armed groups from Shingal and normalize the administrative and security situation in Shingal. In June 2014, ISIS seized large parts of northern and western Iraq. By August, the group launched a brutal assault on the Yazidi community in Shingal, killing an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 Yazidi men and older women, and abducting 6,000 to 7,000 women and girls for sexual slavery and human trafficking. Around 400,000 Yazidis were forced to flee, with most seeking refuge in the Kurdistan Region. Although Iraq declared the full liberation of its territory from ISIS in 2017, around 21,000 Yazidi families remain displaced, primarily in camps in Kurdistan Region's Duhok province. Their return is hindered by ongoing security concerns and the continued presence of various armed groups in Shingal. President Barzani on Monday decried that 'almost half' of Shingal's Yazidi residents 'continue to live in displacement and camps,' calling it unjust that "a Yazidi child born in the camps, is now 11 years old.' He further vowed that the Office of Rescuing Abducted Yazidis, affiliated with the Kurdistan Region Presidency, will continue its operations "as long as there remains even one Yazidi abductee' still in captivity. As of May the Office reported that 2,590 Yazidis remain missing. UN and international takes Monday's commemoration event in Erbil was organized by the Yazidi Yazda non-profit in partnership with the German Cooperation Organization (GIZ), both of which support survivors of the Yazidi genocide. Speaking at the ceremony, Claudio Cordone, Deputy Special Representative for UNAMI, highlighted the Yazidi community's ongoing struggle 11 years after the ISIS genocide. He expressed the UN's 'full solidarity with all the victims of [ISIS] Daesh, one of the most brutal, ignorant, and perverse ideologies in modern history,' and condemned the 'unspeakable atrocities' committed against the Yazidis. Cordone urged both Baghdad and Erbil to intensify and accelerate efforts to restore the rights of the Yazidis, stating that their recovery would represent 'the ultimate defeat of Daesh.' He also outlined three key priorities: reparations, greater support for women forced to marry ISIS members and children born of rape, and enabling 'voluntary, safe, and dignified' returns. The deputy special representative for UNAMI also stressed the need to implement the stalled 2020 [Shingal] Sinjar Agreement, noting that 'without stability and security, people cannot be expected to return.' For his part, the United States Consul General to Erbil Steven Bitner reaffirmed Washington's 'solidarity with Yazidi families and survivors' and recognizes 'their unimaginable loss and unwavering resilience." He emphasized the US's commitment to helping communities recover and to preventing the resurgence of ISIS, pledging to 'do everything possible to make sure that Daesh cannot return and revisit its horrors upon the world.' Bitner further reiterated Washington's efforts in "delivering accountability to those responsible' for the Yazidi genocide and 'ensuring this can never happen again.' Recognizing Iraq's efforts toward peace and stability - with Yazidis playing a vital role in rebuilding - Bitner noted that challenges remain, including the internal displacement of 'over one million Iraqis…including about 300,000 Yazidis, and of course the [cases of the] 2,558 Yazidis who remain missing and unaccounted for." The US consul general called on the Iraqi government to support the safe return of Yazidi survivors by reaching consensus on appointing a mayor in Shingal, recruiting local police, and increasing reconstruction funding. Critically, Bitner warned that 'militias beholden to Iran must leave areas liberated from Daesh, such as [Shingal] Sinjar,' stating their continued presence "prevents the return of the internally displaced population and hinders economic development." Counselor for Economic Cooperation and Development at the German Consulate, Kerstin Spriestersbach, praised the "exceptional" courage of Yazidi survivors who "consciously chose to share their stories to make the voices of the forgotten heard." She acknowledged the ongoing pain of the Yazidi community, noting that 'to this day, many wounds have not healed' as 'the fate of more than 2,600 women and children remains uncertain.' Spriestersbach highlighted concrete steps by Germany, including the unanimous recognition of the Yazidi genocide by the German parliament in January 2023 - a move she called a 'milestone in the global fight against impunity' that shifts the focus 'from the perpetrators to justice for the victims.' She reaffirmed Germany's 'unwavering commitment to justice,' recognizing that survivors still face marginalization, trauma, and threats to their security and dignity. Germany, a long-time provider of humanitarian aid, now prioritizes "long-term work for Yazidi families,' focusing on "education and employment" and supporting "those who want to return to Sinjar," Spriestersbach said, commending survivor-led initiatives, including those led by Yezidi Yazda and GIZ.
Rudaw Net
3 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Suicide drone targets Erbil; no casualties
Also in Kurdistan Assyrian Christians trek to ancient church in Duhok Erbil university offers scholarship for international students Dutch photojournalist recording Kurdish history re-visits Kurdistan Halabja tomato farmers face mounting losses as prices fall A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An explosive-laden drone crashed in Erbil's western Khabat district on Monday morning, resulting in no casualties, Kurdish counterterrorism forces reported. 'On Monday morning at 05:50, an explosive-laden drone crashed in the Rizgari subdistrict of Khabat district in Erbil province,' said the Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD), also known as Kurdistan CT. No casualties were reported. The Kurdistan Region has come under nearly 20 rocket and drone attacks in recent weeks, including strikes on its oil fields. The Kurdish government has blamed Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi) for the attacks - charges strongly denied as 'unacceptable' by Baghdad. The Khabat district is the site of the Kawergosk oil refinery, one of the largest in the Kurdistan Region, operated by the Iraqi-Kurdish oil company KAR Group. Footage submitted to Rudaw shows an explosive-laden drone that crashed in Erbil province's Khabat on Monday morning. — Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) July 28, 2025 The drone strikes have greatly reduced the Kurdistan Region's oil output, especially at a time when Kurdish oil exports through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline - halted since March 2023 - are on the brink of resumption. The United States, the United Kingdom, and the United Nations, as well as several other international and local actors, have condemned the attacks. Baghdad has launched an investigation but has yet to announce the results, and last week's extraordinary Iraqi parliament session failed to discuss the matter after Kurdish lawmakers boycotted the sitting.
Rudaw Net
3 days ago
- Rudaw Net
Assyrian Christians trek to ancient church in Duhok
Also in Kurdistan Erbil university offers scholarship for international students Dutch photojournalist recording Kurdish history re-visits Kurdistan Halabja tomato farmers face mounting losses as prices fall TNT blast kills shepherd in Duhok A+ A- DUHOK, Kurdistan Region - Assyrian Christians in Duhok province trekked around 1,500 meters up a remote mountain on Saturday to pray with joyous spirits at the Mar Qayum Church, one of the oldest in the area. The church, located near the Assyrian village of Dooreh in the region of Barwari Bala, is built in front of a rock and a dam and has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Last renovated in 1999, the story of the church's building remains unknown, but historians say it is at least 1,400 years old. Scores of Assyrian Christians from the Kurdistan Region and countries such as the United States, Canada, and several European countries flocked to partake in the journey. 'Our main goal is to connect the new generation with this place and how to allow them to see our places and villages. That's why we greatly value that all communities come here and see our village,' Nina Kako, a participant, told Rudaw. The participants said that while the challenging hike and scorching weather made their journey difficult, it was ultimately worthwhile despite the odds. 'The path was really challenging. We came all the way and didn't feel it. Although the road is very difficult with slopes and the weather is very hot, the main goal was to arrive, and we arrived,' said Lina Nissan. A 75-year-old Assyrian from Canada was among the visitors. Despite her old age, she stressed that her fervent faith made her forget the fatigue. 'I don't feel any fatigue. To go to any mountain, any important place, being able to visit such ancient churches that are thousands of years old, is proudly a sign of our civilization,' said Piobi Yaqo. The church consists of two floors, and the ascent to the second floor requires effort and guidance, for it would appear from the shape of the church that those who built it and lived in it constantly thought of danger. There is no vehicular access to the church, and a steep trek remains the only means of access.
