Iraqi Army Trench Destroys 49 Acres of Kurdish Farmers’ Land in Kirkuk
Farmers in Topzawa say military excavations have damaged crops and irrigation systems despite their claims of holding official land deeds.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Iraqi Army forces have begun excavating a security trench through agricultural land in Topzawa village, Kirkuk Governorate, damaging more than 49 acres of farmland that Kurdish farmers say they legally own.
The farmers told Kurdistan24's correpondent in Kirkuk Soran Kamaran that the excavation has destroyed crops, irrigation infrastructure and access to their fields, while disputing the army's claim that the affected land belongs to Iraq's Ministry of Defense.
The dispute initially concerned about 3 acres (12 dunams), but residents say the excavation has expanded significantly, cutting through farmland and affecting properties covering more than 49 acres (200 dunams).
Farmers cite legal ownership
The affected farmers say they possess official land titles and deeds, known locally as "black deeds" (Tapuy Rash), documenting their ownership.
One farmer told Kurdistan24 that around 10 acres (40 dunams) of his property had been damaged by the excavation.
"On my land alone, 40 dunams have been destroyed. Our corn crops and irrigation systems have been crushed and broken, causing millions of dinars in losses," he said.
Another farmer said he owns 37 acres (150 dunams) in the area and had cultivated the land before the army's intervention.
"I own 150 dunams here, all of which I had cultivated," he said. "Because of this trench and the resulting berms, approximately 40 dunams of my land have been seized and ruined."
The farmers said they have sought legal protection for their properties and accused authorities of disregarding court decisions and documentation supporting their ownership claims.
Security trench sparks dispute
The Iraqi Army initially entered the area with heavy machinery to excavate what residents were told was a security trench intended to strengthen security around Kirkuk.
According to the farmers, however, military authorities later told them that the land being affected belonged to the Ministry of Defense.
The excavation has created large earth berms and cut across agricultural plots, making parts of the farmland inaccessible to its owners.
The farmers say the damage extends beyond the loss of cultivated land, with irrigation systems and crops also destroyed during the excavation.
Property dispute in Kirkuk
The confrontation in Topzawa comes against a long-running backdrop of disputes over land ownership and agricultural property in Kirkuk, where competing claims and administrative decisions have repeatedly affected local farmers.
For the farmers involved, the immediate issue is both legal and economic: they say they have state-issued documents establishing ownership while facing the destruction of land that provides their families with their livelihood.
They are calling for the excavation to stop, their ownership claims to be recognized and compensation to be considered for agricultural losses already incurred.
The farmers also say they remain concerned that continued excavation could cause further damage to their properties.
For now, the dispute remains unresolved, with the farmers insisting that their deeds and court decisions should be respected and that any security measures should not come at the expense of legally documented private agricultural property.
