Latest news with #KirkukUniversity
Shafaq News
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Kirkuk conference: United front against extremism and violence
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Kirkuk University, in cooperation with Iraq's Popular Mobilization Authority, held its second intellectual conference to address extremism. Titled the "phenomenon of extremism and ways to address it," the event brought together religious scholars, heads of Islamic unions, and international researchers from Iraq and abroad. University President Imran Jamal Hassan emphasized extremism, takfirism, and terrorism are rejected across all religions and human values, and called for promoting tolerance and acceptance to support social peace and coexistence in Iraq. Hassan said the conference aimed to examine the religious, psychological, social, economic, political, and legal aspects of extremism and offer academic approaches to counter its spread. Participants praised the university's efforts, describing the event as a 'step toward strengthening intercommunal harmony.'
Shafaq News
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
37 years later: 1,000 Anfal victims found in Kirkuk mass grave
Shafaq News/ A mass grave containing the remains of around 1,000 Kurdish victims has been uncovered in the Sayadla area behind Kirkuk University, a genocide documentation activist revealed on Saturday. Hayman Hasib, who works with groups investigating Anfal-era crimes, confirmed the site holds victims of Iraq's late-1980s military campaign against Kurdish civilians. He identified the location as near a facility once used by Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali," a key figure behind mass executions under the former regime. Hasib also noted that regime-era records indicate the area functioned as a municipal cemetery for unidentified corpses, many believed to be Kurds. 'This marks the first public identification of the site in Kirkuk,' he told Shafaq News Agency, highlighting that the discovery aligns with the 37th anniversary of the Anfal campaign. A separate grave was located on Friday at the Tobzawa military camp in southern Kirkuk, according to a security source. These sites add to the growing number of mass graves documented across Iraq since 2003, most linked to the Baathist regime's repression of Kurds and Shiites.
Shafaq News
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Kirkuk honors leader Idris Barzani's 38th death anniversary
Shafaq News/ Kirkuk University, in collaboration with the province's Interfaith Dialogue and Community Peace Center, hosted a conference on Thursday to commemorate leader Idris Mustafa Barzani, on the 38th anniversary of his passing. The event highlighted Barzani's vital role in fostering peace, particularly between the KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). 'Kirkuk, with all its communities, gathered today to honor leader Idris Barzani, one of the early fighters for Kurdish rights,' said Hassan Majid, a member of the Kirkuk Provincial Council and head of the KDP bloc, to Shafaq News. 'He was a pillar of the party from its foundation until his death.' Academics from Kirkuk University also spoke, about Barzani's national influence and his involvement in Iraq's political movements. 'He was not just a leader in battle but a key figure in peace negotiations,' said lecturer Muhannad Ali. 'He played a historic role in shaping Kurdish unity and was instrumental in major Kurdish uprisings.' Barzani's ability to unite political forces was further emphasized at the Erbil tribute according to Shafaq news correspondent. Khalid Shali, a longtime friend of leader Barzani, remembered him as 'an honest man, a dedicated politician, and a firm believer in the Peshmerga and humanitarian values." His humility and open-mindedness were central to his lasting legacy as a peacemaker. A leader of the Kurdish People Leader Idris Barzani, born into the Barzani family, was a key leader in the Kurdish struggle for self-determination. His commitment began in childhood, shaped by his father, Mustafa Barzani, a revolutionary icon. In 1961, Idris took up arms for Kurdish rights and quickly became a strategist, playing a significant role in the 1970 peace negotiations with Baghdad, earning the title "architect" of the historic agreement. Despite setbacks, including the failed 1975 Algiers Agreement, which reignited conflict, Leader Barzani remained dedicated to Kurdish unity. He was also a fierce advocate for displaced Kurds, emphasizing internal dialogue as a strategy to counter external threats. His leadership and humility earned him respect from all sides, and his ability to unite political forces was central to his legacy.
