Message from President Barzani

Regarding the situation in Kirkuk, a group of agitators and rioters have blocked the roads between Erbil and Kirkuk, ostensibly to prevent the opening of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) headquarters in Kirkuk.

We have consistently emphasized that Kirkuk should serve as a model of coexistence, brotherhood, and unity among the city's diverse communities. Regrettably, these inappropriate and unlawful actions represent an attempt to incite discord and disrupt this harmony. It is deeply unsettling that, in recent days, the security forces and police in Kirkuk did not intervene to control the disorderly conduct. However, today, violence has been employed against Kurdish youth and demonstrators in Kirkuk, resulting in the tragic death of a young Kurdish man. Such conduct is unacceptable and will bear severe consequences. The shedding of our sons' blood in Kirkuk will exact a heavy price.

I call upon the Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Iraq to promptly quell these obstructions and disturbances, putting an end to the oppression, discrimination, and impediments that directly threaten the coexistence and stability of Kirkuk and other regions.

Masoud Barzani
September 2, 2023