SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Wednesday called on the federal government to compensate families of victims of the Anfal campaign carried out by former Baath regime.
The Kurdistan Region commemorated 33rd anniversary of the Anfal Campaign, but no ceremonies would take place due to coronavirus outbreak.
Former dictator Saddam Hussein’s Baath regime systematically killed 182,000 Kurds in the Anfal campaign, which began in 1986 over eight phases and reached its peak in 1988 with the Halabja chemical attack which killed 5,000 people and injured thousands of others.
Some of former Baath regime’s largest military operations against the Kurds took place on April 14, 1988 – which is now the official day of remembrance for those killed in the Anfal campaign.
Some of former Baath regime’s largest military operations against the Kurds took place on April 14, 1988 – which is now the official day of remembrance for those killed in the Anfal campaign.
Thirty-three years after the Anfal campaign, Kurds say the memories are still painful but they are not yet ready to put them to rest.
“The KRG calls for financial and moral compensation from the federal government for the families of the victims and the people who are harmed by this brutal attack,” Barzani said in a statement.
Barzani further said the KRG would work to provide more services to the families of victims of the Anfal campaign and to provide a decent life for them.
The Iraqi Supreme Court has officially recognized the Anfal campaign as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, but the international community has yet to do so.
