ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Sunday urged relevant authorities to show “no hesitation” in holding accountable those who opened fire against Kurdish protesters in Kirkuk during the previous day’s escalations which resulted in at least four killed and over a dozen more injured.
Altercations between Arab and Turkmen protesters and enraged Kurdish residents of Kirkuk on Saturday left at least four Kurdish demonstrators killed and 15 others wounded after Iraqi forces fired live ammunition to disperse them.
Sudani late Saturday ordered the formation of an investigative committee into the deaths and injuries at the protests, vowing to bring the “negligent ones” to justice on account of the violence that transpired.
During a cabinet meeting on Sunday, the Iraqi premier urged all political parties in Kirkuk to keep the peace, exercise restraint, and steer away from altercations that would negatively impact all of the country, according to a statement from his office.
Sudani called on relevant authorities to “not hesitate in ensuring accountability for those responsible for the casualties and injuries, in accordance with legal procedures, after investigations are completed and the details surrounding the regrettable incidents are uncovered.”
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Sunday directed the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs to register the four casualties of Saturday’s escalations in Kirkuk as “martyrs”, according to a statement form KRG Spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani.
PM Barzani also called on relevant authorities to facilitate the provision of all necessary medical treatments for the wounded.
Sudani also met with Kirkuki members of the Iraqi parliament on Sunday, stressing the need to uphold security and stability in the province, while also highlighting the role of the province’s security forces - “comprising various branches and agencies” - in safeguarding the citizens’ rights to security and freedom of expression.
Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and their supporters staged a sit-in near the headquarters of the Iraqi military’s Joint Operations Command (JOC) and blocked the main Kirkuk-Erbil highway for nearly a week, causing inconvenience for incoming and outgoing citizens using the key road, and frustration for nearby residents.
The protesters demanded Sudani to revoke an order he had issued asking the JOC to evacuate their buildings in Kirkuk in preparation for the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) return to the offices they used to operate prior to October 2017.
In addition to blocking the road, footage also showed the protesters insulting and disrespecting the Kurdistan Region flag and the Peshmerga statue, further enraging the Kurds who held demonstrations of their own in response. The protests soon took a bloody turn, resulting in hours of chaos and instability for Kirkuk’s citizens.
Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court on Sunday said that it had decided to suspend the implementation of Sudani’s order until a ruling was made on the lawsuits asking the court to revoke the directive, in hopes of “maintaining security in Kirkuk province.”
The Kurdish PM described the Iraqi top court’s decision as a “farce” in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. PM Barzani and other KRG officials have previously questioned the constitutionality of the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court following a series of anti-Kurdistan Region rulings.
Today's ‘federal court’ decision is a farce -mb.
— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) September 3, 2023
Kirkuk is a multiethnic city home to Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, and Assyrians. The city was under joint administration before 2014, when Kurds took full control after Iraqi forces withdrew in the face of a brazen offensive by the Islamic State (ISIS) group threatening the city.
Kurds held Kirkuk until October 16, 2017, when Iraqi forces retook control and expelled Kurdish security forces following the KRG’s independence referendum. While other Kurdish political parties remain active in Kirkuk, the KDP refused to return, saying the city was “occupied” by Shiite militias.
Iraq will hold provincial council elections on December 18, the first of their kind since 2013. While the elections will exclude the provinces of the Kurdistan Region, they are viewed by Kurdish parties as a key opportunity to regain a foothold in the strategic yet historically-disputed Kirkuk.