President Barzani Calls for International Recognition of Anfal as Genocide

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - President Masoud Barzani on Tuesday issued a message marking the anniversary of the Garmian Anfal, describing the campaign as a systematic crime against the people of Kurdistan and stating that it must be recognized internationally as genocide, while also calling for guarantees within Iraq to prevent its recurrence.

In his statement, President Barzani said, “It is necessary for this crime to be recognized as genocide on an international level,” adding that there must also be assurances within Iraq that such actions “will never be repeated against the people of Kurdistan,” according to the text of the message.

President Barzani characterized the Garmian Anfal as a “deep wound in the heart of all the people of Kurdistan” and described it as “one of the greatest crimes that was carried out systematically and purposefully against the people of Kurdistan by the former Iraqi authorities.” He said the campaign was directed against civilians and carried out on the basis of identity, according to the statement.

The President said the Anfal campaign resulted in the disappearance and killing of 182,000 Kurdish citizens, stating they were targeted “without having committed any crime, solely for being Kurdish.”

He added that the campaign included chemical bombardment, Arabization policies, forced displacement, demographic change, and the destruction of thousands of villages, alongside what he described as attempts to dismantle “all the foundations of life in Kurdistan.”

President Barzani said these actions formed part of a broader pattern of systematic violence carried out by the former Iraqi authorities against Kurdish populations. He stated that the scale of destruction and loss of life underscored the gravity of the events and their long-term impact on Kurdish society.

In the message, President Barzani described Anfal as both “a tremendous injustice” and a historical lesson that must be preserved for current and future generations. He emphasized that the events should not be forgotten under any circumstances and that their remembrance is necessary to ensure accountability and historical awareness.

He further stated that recognition of the crime as genocide is necessary at the international level and reiterated that Iraq must provide assurances that such actions will not be repeated. The statement also called on the Iraqi state to fulfill its responsibilities toward victims and their families.

“It is also the duty of the Iraqi state to compensate for the Anfal and the genocide that was committed against our nation,” President Barzani said, according to the statement.

The message included a commemoration of the victims of the campaign.

President Barzani extended condolences to families affected by the events, saying, “On the thirty-eighth anniversary of the Anfal disaster, we send thousands of greetings to the pure souls of the Anfal martyrs and all the martyrs of Kurdistan,” and added that he shared “the grief and pain of the proud families and relatives of the Anfal victims.”

The statement forms part of annual commemorations in the Kurdistan Region marking the Anfal campaigns, during which officials reiterate calls for recognition, remembrance, and redress. Kurdish authorities have consistently described the campaigns as among the most severe episodes of violence against Kurdish civilians in modern history.

According to the statement, the Garmian Anfal involved widespread killings, disappearances, forced displacement, and destruction of civilian settlements across Kurdish areas. It also referenced the use of chemical bombardment and demographic policies that reshaped population distribution in affected regions.

President Barzani’s message reiterated longstanding positions by the Kurdistan Region’s leadership regarding international recognition of the Anfal as genocide and emphasized the responsibility of Iraqi institutions to address its consequences through compensation and safeguards against recurrence.