Iraqi Health Ministry repeals removal of Kurdish officials in Kirkuk

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Ministry of Health recently repealed all the administrative decisions made against Kurdish employees in the disputed province of Kirkuk.

Following the takeover of the oil-rich province by the Iraqi army and Hashd al-Shaabi militias, Iraqi authorities imposed punitive measures against senior Kurdish employees at some governmental offices including the health sector.

Based on documents obtained by Kurdistan 24, the Iraqi Ministry of Health canceled all the administrative orders to replace some Kurdish head of departments in Kirkuk’s health facilities with Shia Turkmen.

Local sources claimed the removal of Kurdish officials from their posts at the Directorate of Health in Kirkuk was a result of pressure by Shia Turkmen MP Niyazi Mimaroglu.

On Oct. 16, Iraqi forces and the Iranian-backed Shia Hashd al-Shaabi militias attacked and took over the oil-rich and multi-ethnic province of Kirkuk which had been under the protection of Peshmerga since 2014 following the emergence of the Islamic State (IS) and the collapse of the Iraqi army.

Over 180,000 people from Kirkuk and other disputed territories fled to the Kurdistan Region out of fear of human rights violations and abuses at the hands of the militia groups. 

Since the military takeover, roughly 80 Kurdish officials in Kirkuk have been removed from their posts.

Among them are the Governor, Kirkuk’s Security Director, the Mayors of Kirkuk city, Dibis, Daquq, and Khurmatu, as well as the District and Suburban Police Director.

Kirkuk is one of the most diverse provinces in the country and is made up of Kurds, Turkmen, Arabs, and Christians.

The province is a disputed territory which has undergone several Arabization processes throughout history, and most recently, with the aim of changing its demographic.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany