Plans to renovate Topzawa military camp met with protests
However, these plans have sparked protests from genocide organizations, who argue that the site holds a painful history for the Kurdish people.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Residents of Topzawa village in Kirkuk report that the Iraqi Defense Ministry plans to renovate the Topzawa military camp and transform it into the headquarters for the Iraqi army's Maghawir forces. The villagers have observed increased military activity, with the Iraqi army entering the barracks multiple times over the past ten days and informing them of the impending changes.
However, these plans have sparked protests from genocide organizations, who argue that the site holds a painful history for the Kurdish people. They believe the base, once a place of suffering and torture, should be preserved as a monument rather than repurposed for military use.
Saeh Nasih, a resident of Topzawa, voiced his concerns, stating, "They are putting pressure on the people of Topzawa from all sides. They want to take over the agricultural land and build a military base there."
Hemn Hasib, a genocide activist, confirmed that the Iraqi army has visited Topzawa twice in the past ten days to repair the barracks in preparation for establishing the Maghawir battalion headquarters.
"How can the suffering of the Kurds be forgotten? Our generations must know what has happened to the Kurds one after another," an elderly woman from Topzawa expressed, emphasizing the community's desire to preserve the site's historical significance.
In March, the Iraqi Prime Minister's office requested that the Iraqi Martyrs Foundation convert the Topzawa military camp into an Anfal monument, following appeals from genocide organizations. However, the Iraqi Defense Ministry has declined to comply with this request, maintaining its plans to repurpose the site for military use.
