Tension In Kirkuk; Iraqi PM Al-Sudani Announced Curfew

On September 2, following the issuance of orders by Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani on the evacuation of the Kirkuk Operations Command headquarters and its delivery to the leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, hundreds of Arabs and Turkmens living in Kirkuk city came together to hold a protest rally.

Protesters in Kirkuk were attacked by forces affiliated to the Kurdistan Democratic Party, and severe clashes took place in this city, which is the capital of the Kirkuk Governorate and located 238 kilometers north of Baghdad.

After tensions escalated, security forces and police entered the scene to control the situation, but protesters clashed with security forces as well.

According to Kirkuk Hospital, a security officer was killed in these clashes. Moreover, 4 people were killed and 12 others were injured.

After these incidents, the Iraqi prime minister and commander-in-chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces ordered the military to impose a curfew in Kirkuk and kick off extensive security operations in areas witnessing unrest for precise inspection.

On the other hand, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Masrour Barzani also emphasized in a statement that we strongly condemn the riotous actions in the city of Kirkuk that are contrary to democratic principles and peaceful coexistence.

Head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party Masoud Barzani said that regarding the situation in Kirkuk, I must say that rioters have been preventing the opening of the headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in Kirkuk for a long period.

It is worth mentioning that before its evacuation in 2017, the Kirkuk Operations Command headquarters belonged to the Kurdistan Democratic Party, but Iraqi forces took control of it after holding a referendum in Kurdistan.

It is said that the Kirkuk Operations Command headquarters is a symbol of a bitter incident for residents of this area because after evacuating the headquarters by the Kurdistan Democratic Party in 2017, unidentified corpses were discovered buried in the sewage system of the headquarters.