The question of Hawija: When will the town be retaken from ISIS?
The closer we get to the end of the Mosul offensive, the more the people of Kurdistan and Kirkuk are becoming hesitant regarding the issue of Hawija. The Iraqi government has no clear excuse to bypass or delay the recapture of the town.
For the people of Kirkuk, Hawija is the symbol of the success of the Arabization policy. This town was not a threat to the Kurdish identity of Kirkuk in the past. The situation is, however, different now. The Arabs will win many votes in Kirkuk if a referendum is to be held on the future of the disputed area.
The Arab population has been steadily increasing in Kirkuk as a result of a high birth rate among Sunni tribal Arabs brought to the town of Hawija and its surroundings.
During the reign of Nouri al-Maliki, the Sunni Arabs of Hawija faced much violence – those wounded in demonstrations were treated by Kurds from Kirkuk. When ISIS overran the area, there were Kirkuk Kurds who were held captive and dragged through the town of Hawija and then stoned alive.
The Kurds of Kirkuk will not forget this disloyalty, although the city has been welcoming and accommodating internally displaced persons from Hawija.
What is more, Kirkuk Kurds even showed readiness to participate in operations to eject ISIS from Mosul and Hawija. However, the Iraqi government delayed the operation to recapture Hawija without providing any satisfactory explanation.
Many people think that the recapture of Hawija needs an agreement between Erbil and Baghdad, just like one they had for the Mosul offensive, and that the role of the Peshmerga forces should be limited in this operation.
But the fear is that the Iraqi government deliberately bypassed the Hawija operation so that it can go back to it at a later time, recapturing the town along with Kirkuk, destroying the accomplishments of Kurds in the city.
Hawija could become an Achilles heel to Kirkuk. Retaking Hawija is the business of the Iraqi and Kurdish government, more so of the Kurdish. Its liberation should not be delayed in any way. Hawija is Kurdish territory, although its population is not. The longer ISIS is allowed to remain there, the longer they can pose threats to Kirkuk, as they have done in the past.
Similarly, Kirkuk cannot rest in peace and will always anticipate aggression if Hawija is allowed to be under the control of the Iraqi army or Hashd al-Shaabi forces. Hence, it is important for the Kurdish leadership to work on the Hawija question to prevent these dangerous implications.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rudaw.
For the people of Kirkuk, Hawija is the symbol of the success of the Arabization policy. This town was not a threat to the Kurdish identity of Kirkuk in the past. The situation is, however, different now. The Arabs will win many votes in Kirkuk if a referendum is to be held on the future of the disputed area.
The Arab population has been steadily increasing in Kirkuk as a result of a high birth rate among Sunni tribal Arabs brought to the town of Hawija and its surroundings.
During the reign of Nouri al-Maliki, the Sunni Arabs of Hawija faced much violence – those wounded in demonstrations were treated by Kurds from Kirkuk. When ISIS overran the area, there were Kirkuk Kurds who were held captive and dragged through the town of Hawija and then stoned alive.
The Kurds of Kirkuk will not forget this disloyalty, although the city has been welcoming and accommodating internally displaced persons from Hawija.
What is more, Kirkuk Kurds even showed readiness to participate in operations to eject ISIS from Mosul and Hawija. However, the Iraqi government delayed the operation to recapture Hawija without providing any satisfactory explanation.
Many people think that the recapture of Hawija needs an agreement between Erbil and Baghdad, just like one they had for the Mosul offensive, and that the role of the Peshmerga forces should be limited in this operation.
But the fear is that the Iraqi government deliberately bypassed the Hawija operation so that it can go back to it at a later time, recapturing the town along with Kirkuk, destroying the accomplishments of Kurds in the city.
Hawija could become an Achilles heel to Kirkuk. Retaking Hawija is the business of the Iraqi and Kurdish government, more so of the Kurdish. Its liberation should not be delayed in any way. Hawija is Kurdish territory, although its population is not. The longer ISIS is allowed to remain there, the longer they can pose threats to Kirkuk, as they have done in the past.
Similarly, Kirkuk cannot rest in peace and will always anticipate aggression if Hawija is allowed to be under the control of the Iraqi army or Hashd al-Shaabi forces. Hence, it is important for the Kurdish leadership to work on the Hawija question to prevent these dangerous implications.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rudaw.