Anfal campaign: a dark chapter in Kurdish history

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The Anfal campaign against the Kurds began in the latter half of the 20th century, initially targeting the Barzanis. The former Iraqi regime deported many Barzanis to southern Iraq while forcing others into tightly secured communities in Erbil province.

More than 8,000 Barzanis were massacred during this period.

In the 1970s, before the official onset of the Anfal campaign, the Barzanis were deported to southern Iraq. By 1978, many were relocated from their homeland to forced labor camps in Diyana, Harir, Bahirka, and Goratu, all under strict military control.

In 1980, additional Barzanis were resettled in the Qushtapa forced labor camp and faced extermination in both the Quds and Qadsiya camps.

Official documents from the Ba'ath regime reveal that, in late July and early August 1983, a large, top-secret operation was carried out by the Erbil Security Office, emergency regiments, and Republican Guard forces.

They surrounded the forced communities where the Barzanis lived and arrested them in three phases:

1. First Phase: July 31, 1983 - Barzanis living in Qushtapa were gathered into the Quds and Qadsiya forced labor camps around Erbil province.

2. Second Phase: August 10, 1983 - Barzanis residing in the villages of Harir, Diyana, Bahirka, and Mergasur were rounded up.

3. Third Phase: October 1, 1983 - Camps were searched intensively from house to house, arresting those who had previously escaped.

An official letter dated March 29, 1989, further confirms these events. The letter, sent to the Secretary of the Presidency, states that on the morning of August 1, 1983, at the request of the Director of General Security, Dr. Fadel al-Brak, Republican Guard soldiers surrounded the Quds and Qadsiya camps in Qushtapa. They seized all Barzani men aged 15 and older, who were then transported to Baghdad in trucks.