Kurdistan Region President Marks 43rd Anniversary of Barzani Anfal, Urges Compensation for Victims
In a statement, Barzani paid tribute to the victims of the campaign, describing the genocide against the Barzanis and the wider Anfal campaign as "an open wound in our nation's conscience."
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Friday commemorated the 43rd anniversary of the Barzani Anfal campaign, honoring the memory of the 8,000 civilians killed and renewing calls for compensation for victims' families, according to a statement by Kurdistan Region Presidency.
In a statement, Barzani paid tribute to the victims of the campaign, describing the genocide against the Barzanis and the wider Anfal campaign as "an open wound in our nation's conscience."
He praised the resilience of Barzani mothers and wives, saying they endured immense hardship after the massacre and raised a generation committed to serving Kurdistan despite the suffering they faced.
Barzani also reiterated that the Iraqi government has both a moral and legal responsibility to compensate the families of Anfal victims and all those affected by the crimes of the former Iraqi regime.
The Kurdistan Region president stressed that the tragedies of the past should serve as lessons for the future, calling for greater mutual acceptance, coexistence, and unity among Iraq's diverse communities to build lasting peace.
He also expressed gratitude to the people of Erbil province and neighboring areas for sheltering and supporting displaced Barzani families during the aftermath of the campaign.
The Barzani Anfal campaign, carried out by Saddam Hussein's former regime in 1983, resulted in the disappearance and killing of approximately 8,000 Barzanis and marked the beginning of the broader Anfal campaign against the Kurdish people.