Erbil massacre

Last updated
Erbil massacre
Part of the Iraqi Kurdish Civil War, Ba'athist Arabization campaigns in northern Iraq
Location Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan
DateAugust 31, 1996
Target Iraqi Turkmen Front
Victims48 dead, 31 arrested
Perpetrators Iraqi Armed Forces
Motive Anti-Turkish sentiment, retaliation against Turkmen political dissidents

The Erbil massacre happened during raids on the Iraqi Turkmen Front in Erbil by the Iraqi Armed Forces, and the killing of 48 people and the arrest of 38, on August 31, 1996.

Massacre

Iraqi forces withdrew from Iraqi Kurdistan following the victory of Kurdish rebels during the 1991 Iraqi uprisings. Kurdish authorities, especially the Kurdistan Democratic Party, which controlled Erbil, had given asylum to the Iraqi Turkmen Front, and permitted them to operate within the region and open Turkmen schools, causing the ITF to have a significant presence in the city. [1]

The massacre occurred during the heat of the Iraqi Kurdish Civil War, in which Iraqi Armed Forces entered Erbil after KDP leader Masoud Barzani sent a letter to Saddam Hussein asking him for assistance in fighting Jalal Talabani and pushing the PUK out of Erbil. Saddam Hussein sent 45,000 soldiers on August 31 1996. While Barzani did not order the massacre, nor mention Iraqi Turkmens, the Iraqi forces took the invitation as a chance to punish Iraqi Turkmen political dissidents who fled Ba'athist rule, and raided over 30 buildings owned by the ITF, and 38 Turkmen schools and cultural centers, arresting 38 and taking 48 to an unknown location before executing and burying them. The KDP likely ignored the massacre as they did not want to upset the Iraqi forces and lose the Iraqi armed support against the PUK. [2] [3] [4]

On the same day, the KDP had captured 13 PUK forces in Erbil and mercilessly executed them, [5] and Iraqi troops also executed 700 PUK and Iraqi National Congress fighters on the outskirts of Erbil. Iraqi troops later withdrew after returning Erbil to the KDP, and the KDP pushed the PUK all the way to the Iran–Iraq border, where the United States intervened to prevent another massacre, and evacuated over 6,000 PUK fighters from Iraq. [6] The KDP took the PUK stronghold of Sulaymaniyah although the PUK took it back in October. [7]

In 2018, Aydın Maruf, a leader of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, said that the armed forces of the Ba'athist regime of Saddam Hussein had executed 48 Turkmen without trial, and stated that "the previous phase of Iraqi history witnessed many attempts to obliterate the Turkmen presence politically, culturally and socially in the country." Imdad Bilal, the leader of the Erbil branch of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, said that after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, many Iraqi regimes practiced policies of pressuring Iraqi Turkmen and seeking to eliminate their identity. [8]

In 2022, the Iraqi Turks Association stated "on the 26th anniversary of the Erbil Massacre, we commemorate our martyrs, who marched to martyrdom for the sake of the homeland, nation, flag, and freedom, with respect, love and longing. May their souls rest in peace, may their place be heaven." [9]

In 2022, Arshad al-Salihi stated "more than a quarter of a century, exactly 26 years ago, the Turkmen genocide took place in Erbil, the city of Gökböri. We commemorate our heroes who were martyred in the 31 August 1996 Erbil Turkmen Genocide, one of the most painful events in our recent history, with respect and mercy." [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jalal Talabani</span> President of Iraq from 2006 to 2014

Jalal Talabani was an Iraqi politician who served as the sixth president of Iraq from 2005 to 2014, as well as the president of the Governing Council of Iraq. He was ethnically Kurdish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salahaddin Bahaaddin</span> Secretary-General of the Kurdistan Islamic Union

Salahaddin Mohammed Bahaaddin Sadiq is a Kurdish Iraqi politician, in Tawela, a town referring to Halabja.He is a graduate of The House of Teachers 1969. He is the co-founder and current Secretary-General of the Kurdistan Islamic Union, and a former member of the Iraqi Governing Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iraqi Kurdistan</span> Kurdish-inhabited region in northern Iraq

Iraqi Kurdistan or Southern Kurdistan refers to the Kurdish-populated part of northern Iraq. It is considered one of the four parts of "Kurdistan" in West Asia, which also includes parts of southeastern Turkey, northern Syria, and northwestern Iran. Much of the geographical and cultural region of Iraqi Kurdistan is part of the Kurdistan Region (KRI), an autonomous region recognized by the Constitution of Iraq. As with the rest of Kurdistan, and unlike most of the rest of Iraq, the region is inland and mountainous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peshmerga</span> Military force of Iraqs Kurdistan Region

The Peshmerga comprise the standing military of Kurdistan Region, an autonomous political entity within the Republic of Iraq. According to the Constitution of Iraq, the Peshmerga and their security subsidiaries are solely responsible for the security of Kurdistan Region, chiefly due to the fact that the Iraqi Armed Forces are forbidden to enter Iraqi Kurdistan. These subsidiaries include Asayish, Parastin û Zanyarî, and Zêrevanî. The Peshmerga's history dates back to the 18th century, when they began as a strictly tribal pseudo-military border guard under the Ottoman Turks and the Safavid Iranians. By the 19th century, they had evolved into a disciplined and well-trained guerrilla force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurdistan Region</span> Autonomous entity in the Republic of Iraq

Kurdistan Region is an autonomous administrative entity within the Republic of Iraq. It comprises four Kurdish-majority divisions of Arab-majority Iraq: the Erbil Governorate, the Sulaymaniyah Governorate, the Duhok Governorate, and Halabja Governorate. The KRI is bordered by Iran to the east, by Turkey to the north, and by Syria to the west. It does not govern all of Iraqi Kurdistan, and lays claim to the disputed territories of northern Iraq; these territories have a predominantly non-Arab population and were subject to the Ba'athist Arabization campaigns throughout the late 20th century. Though the KRI's autonomy was realized in 1992, one year after Iraq's defeat in the Gulf War, these northern territories remain contested between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Government of Iraq to the present day. In light of the dispute, the KRI's constitution declares the city of Kirkuk as the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. However, the KRI does not control Kirkuk, and the Kurdistan Region Parliament is based in Erbil. In 2014, when the Syria-based Islamic State began their Northern Iraq offensive and invaded the country, the Iraqi Armed Forces retreated from most of the disputed territories. The KRI's Peshmerga then entered and took control of them for the duration of the War in Iraq (2013–2017). In October 2017, following the defeat of the Islamic State, the Iraqi Armed Forces attacked the Peshmerga and reasserted control over the disputed territories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masoud Barzani</span> 1st president of Iraqi Kurdistan (2005-17)

Masoud Barzani is a Kurdish politician who has been leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) since 1979, and was President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq from 2005 to 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurdistan Region Parliament</span> Legislature of the Kurdistan region of Iraq

The Parliament of Kurdistan, also called the Kurdish Parliament (IKP), is the parliament of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq. It is made up of representatives from the various parties, lists or slates that are elected every four years by the inhabitants of the provinces of Kurdistan Region currently governed by the Kurdistan Regional Government. In 2009 an amendment was applied to the Kurdistan Election Law of the year 1992, and since then the body was referred to as Kurdish Parliament instead of its previous name the Kurdish National Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iraqi Kurdish Civil War</span> Kurdish internecine conflict (1994–1997)

The Iraqi Kurdish Civil War was a civil war that took place between rival Kurdish factions in Iraqi Kurdistan during the mid-1990s, mostly between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party. Over the course of the conflict, Kurdish factions from Iran and Turkey, as well as Iranian, Iraqi and Turkish forces, were drawn into the fighting, with additional involvement from American forces. Between 35,000 and 40,000 fighters and civilians were killed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erbil</span> Capital of Kurdistan, Iraq

Erbil, also called Hawler, is the capital and most populated city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The city is in the Erbil Governorate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurdistan Democratic Party</span> Political party in the Kurdistan Region (founded 1946)

The Kurdistan Democratic Party, usually abbreviated as KDP or PDK, is the largest party in Iraqi Kurdistan and the senior partner in the Kurdistan Regional Government. It was founded in 1946 in Mahabad in Iranian Kurdistan. The party states that it combines "democratic values and social justice to form a system whereby everyone in Kurdistan can live on an equal basis with great emphasis given to rights of individuals and freedom of expression."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nawshirwan Mustafa</span> Iraqi Kurdish politician

Nawshirwan Mustafa was an Iraqi Kurdish politician who served as the General Coordinator of the Movement for Change and the leader of the opposition in the Kurdistan Region from 1 April 2009 to his death on 19 May 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1983–1986 Kurdish rebellions in Iraq</span> Kurdish rebellion against the Government of Saddam Hussein In Iraq

The 1983–1986 Kurdish rebellions in Iraq occurred during the Iran–Iraq War as PUK and KDP Kurdish militias of Iraqi Kurdistan rebelled against Saddam Hussein as part of the Iraqi–Kurdish conflict, in an attempt to form an independent state. With Iraqi government forces occupied by the Iran-Iraq War, Kurdish Peshmerga succeeded in taking control of some enclaves, with Iranian logistic and sometimes military support. The initial rebellion resulted in stalemate by 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ali Askari</span> Iraqi politician

Ali Askari (1936–1978) was a Kurdish politician, military leader, and revolutionary. He was a prominent leader in Iraqi Kurdistan and his political party was the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iraqi–Kurdish conflict</span> Series of wars and rebellions by ethnic Kurds against successive Iraqi administrations

The Iraqi–Kurdish conflict consists of a series of wars, rebellions and disputes by the Kurds against the central authority of Iraq starting in the 20th century shortly after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I. Some put the marking point of the conflict beginning to the attempt by Mahmud Barzanji to establish an independent Kingdom of Kurdistan, while others relate to the conflict as only the post-1961 insurrection by the Barzanis. Since the US-led invasion of Iraq and the subsequent recognition of the Kurdistan Region (KRI) the number and scope of armed clashes between the central government of Iraq and the Kurds have significantly decreased. In spite of that, however, there are still outstanding issues that continue to cause strife such as the disputed territories of northern Iraq and rights to oil and gas, leading to occasional armed clashes. In September 2023, Masrour Barzani sent a letter to the President of the United States expressing concerns about a possible collapse of the Kurdistan Region and calling for the United States to intervene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Kurdistan Region parliamentary election</span> Election

Parliamentary elections took place in Kurdistan Region on 30 September 2018 to elect Parliament. The election came a year after a failed bid for independence and left the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) with 45 seats, that positioning it to lead the next regional government. Announcement of the results was delayed for three weeks. The KDP's historic rival and junior coalition partner in government, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), was in second place with 21 seats. The results suggest that Masoud Barzani’s KDP will take a dominant position in Kurdish politics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of Kurdistan Region</span> Head of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq

The President of Kurdistan Region is the head of autonomous Kurdistan Region in northern Iraq. They are part of the Kurdistan Presidency Council. The current President of Kurdistan Region is Nechirvan Barzani, who assumed office on 10 June 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1991 Altun Kupri massacre</span> Massacre in Iraq

The 1991 Altun Kupri massacre occurred on 28 March 1991 in the Turkmen town of Altun Kupri, Kirkuk Governorate, Iraq. The massacre targeted Turkmens, in particular males, both children and adults alike, and was organized by security forces affiliated with Saddam Hussein's army. It came as a result of curbing the 1991 uprising in the dissident areas in the north and south of the country.

The Kurdistan Region–PKK conflict is a series of battles and clashes in Iraqi Kurdistan between the ruling Kurdistan Regional Government against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its allied groups. It started in 1983 and is still ongoing in the form of an insurgency. The PKK's primary method is using guerrilla warfare against the Peshmerga.

The Pasht Ashan massacre was a raid on the Iraqi Communist Party headquarters in Pasht Ashan, Iraqi Kurdistan, in which the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan killed over 150 members of the group and severely weakened them.

References

  1. ↑ "Irak Türkmenleri ne durumda?". Fikir Turu (in Turkish). 2023-04-03. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  2. ↑ https://www.qha.com.tr/amp/turk-dunyasi/31-agustos-1996-saddam-rejimi-erbil-de-turkmenleri-katletti-477680
  3. ↑ https://www.aa.com.tr/ar/الدول-العربية/العراق-إحياء-الذكرى-الـ22-لمجزرة-أربيل-بحق-التركمان/1244830
  4. ↑ https://www.aa.com.tr/ar/الدول-العربية/تركمان-العراق-يحيون-الذكرى-26-لمجزرة-أربيل/2674683
  5. ↑ Staff, Editorial (2017-09-01). "The August 31 Barzani's betrayal: Occupation of Erbil with Saddam's tanks". Kurd Net – Ekurd.net Daily News. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  6. ↑ https://slate.com/news-and-politics/1996/09/the-kurds.html
  7. ↑ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Refworld – Chronology for Kurds in Iraq". Refworld. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  8. ↑ https://www.aa.com.tr/ar/الدول-العربية/العراق-إحياء-الذكرى-الـ22-لمجزرة-أربيل-بحق-التركمان/1244830
  9. ↑ "Irak Türkleri Derneğinden Erbil Katliamı mesajı". www.tebaajansi.com. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  10. ↑ "SALİHİ'DEN ERBİL KATLİAMI MESAJI". avim.org.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2024-03-15.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.