Demolitions Begin in Kirkuk Village, Threatening 80 Kurdish Families

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Demolition work began Thursday in Aliawa village in Kirkuk province, as authorities moved to clear the area for a residential investment project, prompting protests from residents who say between 70 and 80 Kurdish families are at risk of losing their homes.

According to Kurdistan24 correspondent Hemin Dalo, demolition machinery began tearing down shops and commercial premises in the village, near the Amel Shaabi neighborhood along the main Kirkuk–Dibis road.

Residents said the demolitions are expected to expand in the next phase to include more than 70 homes, raising concerns about the displacement of families who have lived in the area for years.

The residents said they are internally displaced people from Kirkuk who were officially settled in the village in 2011 and 2012 under Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution, which provides for the normalization of disputed territories and the resolution of their status.

“These lands were officially allocated to us by the committee for displaced people, yet now they want to evict us without any regard for our rights and through political interference, displacing us all over again,” one resident told Kurdistan24.

Another resident said the city administration had offered approximately two million Iraqi dinars in compensation, describing the amount as unacceptable.

“This is our village. We grew up here, and now they want to drive us out. More than 70 to 80 homes are threatened with demolition. Apart from Shakhawan Abdullah, no other official has spoken up for us, and our lives are under threat from the demolition machinery,” the resident said.

Residents also said an official document had called for the demolitions to be halted over alleged violations. However, they claim that authorities are continuing with the project despite the document.

They further argued that the land remains subject to disputes related to Article 140 and should not be allocated for an investment project before its status is resolved.

Despite the objections, the Kirkuk Investment Commission remains determined to proceed with the project, according to the information provided to Kurdistan24.

Residents have continued staging daily protests, demanding that the demolitions stop and that their rights be addressed before any further action is taken.