Erbil, Kurdistan Region, August 25, 2023

As we commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Anfal operations in Badinan, we remember and honor the innocent people who fell victim to these genocidal campaigns. In 1988, 182,000 innocent people across Kurdistan, including children, women, old and young, were systematically targeted and killed by the former Iraqi regime.

The crime of Anfal is recognized by the Iraqi High Criminal Court as genocide, crime against humanity and war crime. Therefore, we reiterate that the Iraqi government must compensate the families of the victims as soon as possible; more services must be provided to the families of the victims and every effort should be made to document the crime of Anfal and make it internationally recognized as genocide.

We thank and remember the courage of the people of Erbil, Bahrka and their surroundings who came to the aid of the victims of Badinan in the forced camp of Jezhnikan. Their kindness and humanity will never be forgotten.

The best way to honor the victims of the Anfal is to provide better services to the families of the victims, to strengthen our internal solidarity and unity, to prevent the repetition of crimes such as Anfal and to work for its further international recognition.

The bitter history of the Iraqi people must be a lesson and encourage us to work together towards mutual acceptance and ensuring the rights of all communities in the new Iraq, so that the tragedies of the past are not repeated and freedom and constitutional rights of all communities are protected.

Nechirvan Barzani
The President of the Kurdistan Region