President Barzani’s Message on the 38th Anniversary of the Anfal Tragedy

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

The Anfal campaign remains a deep wound in the hearts of all the people of Kurdistan. It stands as one of the most horrific crimes deliberately and systematically committed by the former Iraqi regime against the people of Kurdistan. Those inhumane acts led to the martyrdom of 182,000 innocent Kurdish citizens, whose only “crime” was their Kurdish identity. These atrocities also included chemical attacks, Arabization policies, forced displacement, demographic change, the destruction of thousands of villages, and attempts to eliminate every means of life in Kurdistan. These were heinous crimes perpetrated by the former Iraqi regime against the people of Kurdistan.

The Anfal campaign was a profound injustice and an act of extreme aggression. At the same time, it serves as an important lesson for present and future generations, and its moral significance must never be ignored under any circumstances. It is essential that this crime be internationally recognized as genocide. Within Iraq, firm guarantees must also be established to ensure that such crimes are never repeated against the people of Kurdistan. The Iraqi state likewise bears responsibility for compensating the victims of Anfal and addressing the damage caused by this genocide against our people.

On the 38th anniversary of the Anfal tragedy, we offer our deepest salutations to the pure souls of the righteous martyrs of Anfal and to all the martyrs of Kurdistan. We also express our solidarity with the proud families of the victims of Anfal.

Masoud Barzani

14 April 2026