Iraqi PM Honors Anfal Victims, Hails Unity and Coexistence in Post-Dictatorship Iraq
Al-Sudani reflected on the pain and horror of the Anfal Campaigns, describing them as “heinous crimes” and “brutal massacres” carried out against Iraq’s Kurdish population by the former dictatorial regime.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani marked the 37th anniversary of the Anfal genocide with a solemn tribute to the victims of Saddam Hussein's Ba’athist regime, emphasizing national unity and the triumph of coexistence over division.
In a post on social media platform X, Al-Sudani reflected on the pain and horror of the Anfal Campaigns, describing them as “heinous crimes” and “brutal massacres” carried out against Iraq’s Kurdish population by the former dictatorial regime.
“These atrocities exposed the regime’s ugliness and racist nature toward our people and national forces,” the Prime Minister wrote.
With pain and solemn remembrance, Iraqis recall the heinous crime committed by the dictatorial regime during the infamous “Anfal Campaigns,” and the brutal massacres carried out against our Kurdish people thirty-seven years ago. These atrocities exposed the regime’s ugliness and…
— محمد شياع السوداني (@mohamedshia) April 14, 2025
The Anfal Campaigns, launched by Saddam Hussein’s government in the late 1980s, resulted in the systematic killing, disappearance, and displacement of nearly 180,000 Kurds, along with the destruction of thousands of villages across the Kurdistan Region. The campaign, widely recognized as an act of genocide, included the use of chemical weapons, mass executions, and the demolition of civilian infrastructure.
While remembering the past, Al-Sudani also struck a hopeful note, declaring that today’s Iraq has turned the page on tyranny.
“Today, the values of brotherhood and peaceful coexistence triumph over all the seeds of hatred that the Ba’athist Saddam regime tried to sow among the diverse segments of our people,” he stated.
He reaffirmed the country’s commitment to reconstruction, development, and national unity: “Tyranny has been consigned to the darkness of history, while Iraqis continue—together—the journey of reconstruction and development, upholding the dignity of a united, secure, and stable Iraq.”
Al-Sudani’s statement comes amid ongoing calls from Kurdish leaders and civil society groups for the federal government to take stronger steps toward accountability, recognition, and compensation for survivors and the families of victims of the Anfal genocide.
