President Barzani Honors Feyli Kurds on 45th Anniversary of Genocide
"The Feyli sisters and brothers played a significant role in the Kurdish liberation movement and in the national cause of our people. The genocide of the Feyli Kurds was part of the former Iraqi regime’s systematic plan to eliminate the people of Kurdistan," the statement read.
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a solemn tribute to the enduring pain and sacrifice of the Feyli Kurdish community, President Masoud Barzani marked the 45th anniversary of the Feyli Kurdish genocide with a powerful message reaffirming their vital role in the Kurdish national struggle and highlighting the systematic brutality of the former Iraqi regime.
On Friday, President Barzani published a commemorative statement on the social media platform X, underscoring the historical and national significance of the Feyli Kurds’ suffering. His message honored the memory of the victims and placed their tragedy within the broader context of the Baathist regime’s calculated efforts to obliterate Kurdish identity and presence.
"On the 45th anniversary of the genocide of the Feyli Kurds, we pay tribute to the pure souls of the Feyli Kurds’ martyrs and all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives on the path to Kurdistan’s freedom," President Barzani stated.
"The Feyli sisters and brothers played a significant role in the Kurdish liberation movement and in the national cause of our people. The genocide of the Feyli Kurds was part of the former Iraqi regime’s systematic plan to eliminate the people of Kurdistan," the statement read.
The Feyli Kurds, a distinct Kurdish community with deep historical roots in the border regions between Iraq and Iran, have long faced marginalization and violence. Under Saddam Hussein’s regime, tens of thousands of Feyli Kurds were stripped of their Iraqi citizenship, deported, imprisoned, tortured, and forcibly disappeared. Many were never accounted for.
The campaign against the Feylis reached its peak in 1980, with mass expulsions and extrajudicial killings that later came to be recognized as acts of genocide.
President Barzani’s message serves as both a memorial and a reminder of the resilience and patriotism of the Feyli Kurds. Their contributions to the Kurdish liberation movement—through resistance, activism, and sacrifice—form a vital chapter in the history of Kurdistan.
The acknowledgment of their suffering by the Kurdish leadership also reaffirms ongoing efforts to preserve historical memory, seek justice, and ensure that such atrocities are never repeated.
This anniversary comes at a time when the Kurdistan Region continues to advocate for national unity and justice for all victims of past genocidal campaigns, including the Anfal operations and the chemical attack on Halabja.
The memory of the Feyli Kurds, like other chapters of Kurdish suffering, remains a cornerstone of the collective identity and political consciousness of the people of Kurdistan.
As Kurdistan commemorates this tragic milestone, the message from President Barzani echoes a broader call for international recognition of the genocide, accountability for its perpetrators, and support for the rights and dignity of the Feyli Kurdish survivors and their descendants.
