Iraqi forces in Kirkuk raid Kurdish households, arrests nearly 50 youths for electoral celebration

Footages of the surveillance cameras show armed soldiers raiding Kurdish households and armored vehicles deployed in civilian neighborhoods.
An Iraqi army unit deployed in Kurdish neighborhood of Kirkuk poses for a photo, Oct. 12, 2021. (Photo: Submitted to Kurdistan 24)
An Iraqi army unit deployed in Kurdish neighborhood of Kirkuk poses for a photo, Oct. 12, 2021. (Photo: Submitted to Kurdistan 24)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Nearly 50 young Kurdish men have been arrested since Tuesday night in a massive raid by an Iraqi army unit in Kirkuk city, allegedly for celebrating the electoral victory of a Kurdish party in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, according to sources speaking to Kurdistan 24.

So far, nearly 50 underage young Kurdish boys have been arrested in what appears to be a mass raid on households, according to a source speaking to Kurdistan 24 in Kirkuk.

The Iraqi forces accused the arrested Kurds of “celebration and shooting on the streets”, according to the Kurdish officials who reached out to the forces to inquire what happened.

Footages of the surveillance cameras show armed soldiers raiding Kurdish households and armored vehicles deployed in civilian neighborhoods.

Markets have been closed down by the forces as well, according to Kurdistan 24 correspondent in Kirkuk.

The raid came days after announcing the preliminary results by the Iraqi electoral commission, which indicates an increase of Kurdish votes in the disputed territories between Erbil and Baghdad. Supporters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) particularly, poured into the streets to celebrate the win.

The Iraqi Army’s 61st Brigade, which belongs to the prime minister’s office, is deployed in the Kurdish neighborhoods of Shoreeja and Rahimawa for the last two nights, sparking fear and anxiety among the residents.

On Monday night in those neighborhoods, an Iraqi Army convoy confronted Kurds celebrating the election victory by waving Kurdish and KDP flags.  

In 2017, Iraqi Army units and Iran-backed militias ousted the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces from Kirkuk and other disputed territories between Baghdad and Erbil.