Parliament Warns of Ongoing Arabization of Kurdish Areas in Kirkuk

Kurdistan Region Parliament said on Wednesday that the Arabization of Kurdish territories outside the jurisdiction of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is reaching an alarming level.

A day earlier, a group of over one hundred Arabs stormed the Kurdish village of Palkana in northwest Kirkuk and forcefully occupied the homes belonging to the indigenous Kurdish families.

Locals expressed serious concern as the Iraqi security forces were present in the area but remained indifferent. They later arrested some of the Kurdish residents instead.

Parliamentary committee for Kurdish disputed areas’ affairs held a press conference and condemned the action, calling it an extension to previous Arabization campaigns which work to change the demography of the Kurdish territories.

The committee called for immediate measures to address the issues in Kirkuk, especially in Palkana village and its surrounding areas. It said the recent attack on the Kurds was against the mutual understandings between the Iraqi government and the government of Kurdistan Region.

It further explained that the militia forces could pose a serious threat to the demography of the area, calling for joint control of the Iraqi army and Kurdistan’s Peshmerga forces in Kirkuk.