KRG advocacy office calls on UN, international organizations to ‘monitor’ violations in Kirkuk

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Office of the Coordinator for International Advocacy on Monday called on the United Nations and other international organizations to closely monitor the situation in Kirkuk following the September 2 protests that resulted in four deaths.

“We call on all international partners, the UN, and international organizations to closely monitor the situation in Kirkuk, particularly the violations perpetrated by security forces, in accordance with established international standards,” the office said in a statement.

Kurdish protestors on Saturday afternoon poured into the popular Raheemawa street to demand the reopening of the Kirkuk-Erbil main road that was closed for about a week by the members of Shiite militia forces against the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) return to the multi-ethnic province.

At least four Kurdish protesters were killed by the security forces’ live bullets while 15 others were wounded on Saturday afternoon.

The violence has drawn a strong backlash from the Kurdistan Region’s officials, urging Baghdad to promptly investigate the violations. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani later called for investigations into the matter.

The Sept. 2 incidents “stand in clear contradiction to the principles of human rights and international law,” the office added.

Following the protests, security forces conducted several raids into the Kurdish neighborhoods, where about 30 youths were arrested.

Protests to end the tight security measurement put in place by the security forces resumed on Monday afternoon in Kirkuk.