As I am uploading this blog( 14 January 2026), Kurdish population in Syria are under attack.
Kurdish neighbourhoods in Aleppo, particularly Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, have come under sustained attack by Syrian government forces and allied militias. Civilians have been killed, hospitals bombed, and tens of thousands forcibly displaced.Kurds who stood on the front line against ISIS—on behalf of humanity and global security—are now being targeted and abandoned. Silence enables further atrocities.Despite a reported ceasefire, Kurdish neighbourhoods remain under effective siege, with continued restrictions on movement, humanitarian access, and reports of arbitrary detention.
Both Syrian temporary government forces and Turkish Forces are coordinating this attack on innocent Kurds. Keeping in mind members of current regime in Syria are ex. ISIS (DAASH) members.
In this document will discuss why Kurdistan’s population wish to go towards Independence, we will be discussing Legality of such action following referendum and all historical attempt by the Kurdistan to try to come to mutually beneficial conclusion to solve the political deadlock that exists in Iraq.
Independence of Kurdistan will be in direct benefit of the US and western powers to create a stable environment for combating terrorism in this region, working towards weakening the elements that may thrive in a conflict environment in Iraq.
Kurdish Region currently consists of the provinces of Dohuk, Erbil, and Sulaymani, as well as large sections of land known as the “disputed territories”: ethnically mixed territory claimed by both Arbil and Baghdad. This region was victim of Arabisation
Kurdistan is a safe haven for the Christians, Yazidi and other Religions of Iraq.
Kurdistani people are peaceful and determined, they will find a way to live peacefully with neighbours, Peshmarga forces are prepared to protect every inch of this land if they have too, this was proven when Kurds were faced with Daash in August 2014.
Peshmarga forces have proven that they are a capable force and very loyal, in spite of all shortfalls Kurds managed to defeat Da’ssh.
Currently US Policy is towards united Iraq fear of consequences for regional stability and U.S. national Security is making U.S. siding with United Iraq.
KRG is arguing that Independence of Kurdistan will have a direct positive impact on Stability in the region and interest of the U.S. in this part of the world as well as US National Security.
Kurdistan becoming independent is in benefits of every one including immediate neighbours. Kurdistan region of Iraq is second largest source of income for Turkey after Germany.
Iran maintains a strong link with KRG and views Kurdistan region of Iraq as a valuable ally against the avowedly anti- Shia’a Islamic State.
Kurds have proven to be religions tolerance, have respect for all faith and believes, Kurdistani people are free to live , practice and promote their own faith, continue living in Kurdistan and have a prosperous life. Kurdistan region continues to put religious freedom as strategic priority to its core policy.
policy by Baa’th Party. Throughout last 50 years prior to 1991 introduction of No fly zone arabisation policy of the central Government of Baghdad have caused major displacement and main source of legal dispute on land ownership between Kurds and Arabs.
Iraqi Regime post liberation of Iraq from Baath party in April 1993 have continuously ignored all agreements and the Constitution that was signed by all parties in The Baghdad Parliament.
Continued policy of Shiaa dominance in Baghdad have caused major disruption in day to day functioning of newly formed Government in Baghdad. Meanwhile Shiaa leaders openly opposed everything that was agreed upon by the Baghdad Parliament and the Constitution, actively trying to change the demographic of the country and create instability by their direct action against Sunni area and Kurdistani territories.
Kurdistan at cross road , background History
The presence of Kurdistan such a large ethnic group with various religions practiced freely side by side, Kurdistan after two world wars has not acquired its own nation-state, could be considered a geopolitical paradox.
In this section we are focusing on Iraqi Kurdistan only, our main goal is to establish reasonable argument and put forward a peaceful, considered approach in solving the problem between Iraqi Central Government and Kurdistan Regional Government. The idea of Independence is only for this part of Kurdistan, politicians of this part of Kurdistan have full respect for the sovereignty of neighbouring state that have their own Kurdish population.
1918 - Under British rule Sheikh Mahmoud Barzinji becomes governor of Sulaymani. Kurdish leaders wanted Kurdistan to be ruled independently of Baghdad, plight of Kurds were ignored by the British rulers, number of uprising and battles took place, Kurds were ignored British rulers sided with Baghdad.
1920 - Treaty of Sevres, signed by the defeated Ottoman government, provides for a Kurdish state, subject to the agreement of the League of Nations. Article 64 of the Treaty gives Kurds living in the Mosul vilayet the option of joining a future independent Kurdistan.
This was never implemented and Kurds were left behind.
1924 Lausanne treaty gave way to the Ottoman Empire to settle with less than expected after the failed treaty of Sevres, it eventually gave way to independent Republic of Turkey we know today, with French Republic, British empire, Kingdom of Greece, Kingdom of Italy, Empire of Japan and kingdom of Romania agreeing with its terms. Faith of Kurdistan were ignored again.
1925: A fact-finding committee was sent to Mosul province, on condition that the UK hold the mandate for Iraq for 25 years to assure the autonomy of the Kurdish population, the League of Nations decides that it will be part of Iraq.
1961: Kurdish autonomy were refused by the Iraqi government of Abdul Karim Qasim. On 11 September, M.M. Barzani lead Kurdistani in Iraq to take up arms against the Iraqi government, starting the Kurdish revolution, among Peshmarga forces were christians and Yazidis that joined the movement.
1970: Kurds reaches an agreement with Baghdad on autonomy for Kurdistan and political representation in the Baghdad government. Baghdad failed to fulfil its obligation by 1974 Kurds were back in the mountain fighting the regime.
1971-1980: Over 1 million Faili (Shia) Kurds were expelled from Iraq by the Iraqi Government. Figures of number of displaced Faili is highly disputed some sources mention over 200,000. The main reason for the Iraqi Government taking such action was to force the Faili to deny their Kurdish origin and identity. Refusal of such demand resulted in a large scale ethnic cleansing that has not been seen previously in this region. Yet again plight of the Kurds was ignored by the International community.
1983: 8,000 boys and men from the Barzan area of Kurdistan were taken away by Iraqi Regime , in 2005, 500 of them were found in mass graves near Iraq’s border with Saudi Arabia.
1987-1989: the genocidal Anfal campaign against Kurdistan’s civilians, of mass summary executions and disappearances, widespread use of chemical weapons, destruction of over 5000 villages and destruction of rural economy. An estimated 180,000 were killed in the campaign conducted by the Iraqi Regime.
1988: On 16 and 17 March 1988, airplanes belonging to Iraqi Government drop chemical weapons on the town of Halabja, 5,000 people, civilians, were killed.
1991: Kurdistan uprising against the Iraqi government days after the Gulf War ceasefire. The conventional warfare assault on the Kurdistani in 1991 by The Iraqi military and helicopters suppress the uprising. over a 1 million people escape to the mountain border of Iran and Turkey, causing a humanitarian crisis. The US, Britain and France declare a no-fly zone at the 36th parallel.
1992: the Kurdistan Regional Government is formed by the Iraqi Kurdistan Front, an alliance of political parties, holds parliamentary and presidential elections and establishes first Kurdish Parliament.
1994 -1998 :Internal conflict interrupt the Kurdistani in developing their land and community, ceasefire in November 1997 and an agreement is signed in Washington in September 29 1998 in presence of Secretary of State Madeleine Albright publicly reaffirmed past U.S. support for UN Security Council Resolution 688; pledged no tolerance of further Iraqi crimes such as chemical warfare attacks on the Kurds in the late 1980s and the conventional warfare assault on them in 1991.
2003: Kurdistan’s official armed forces( the Peshmarga), alongside the coalition fights to liberate Iraq from Baths Party controls.
2005: Iraqis vote in favour of a new constitution in a National Referendum . The new constitution approved by 78% of voters, recognises the the Kurdistan Regional Government, Kurdistan Region's institutions and the Kurdistan Parliament.
2006: On 7th May, Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani announces a new unified cabinet. Ending duo administration in Kurdistan by the 2 major political parties.
2007: Article 140 of constitution stipulating a new referendum to deal with disputed territories including Kerkuk between Baghdad and Arbil is ignored by then Nori Al- Maleki Prime minster of Iraq.
2014: On 8th of August fundamentalist ISIS ( Daash) have attacked Kurdistan after taking Mosul, Iraq denied any help to Kurdistan official Army of Peshmarga forces. They left the Kurdistani forces fully exposed with a very basic weapons and very little ammunitions to protect their land.
Inspire of this Kurdistani forces of Peshmarga managed to protect the land until Western Allies came to help.
2017: Liberation of Mosul started, Kurds played and fundamental role by clearing the path for Iraqi Army and Shiaa Militia (Hajdi Shaabi) to enter Mosul via Kurdistan territories that was freed by Peshmarga Forces from ISIS.
In this section we will cover legal spect of failure of Iraqi Central Government, starting with approved constitution that was voted by the Iraqi nationals 78% approval by the both Arab Nation and Kurdish Nation of Iraq.
From the out set of approving the constitution Baghdad government have refused to accept the recognition of two nations state of Arabs and Kurds in Iraq. According the constitution in section of “fundamental principles “ Articles 1 to 9 clearly recognises all governmental department to use both Arabic and Kurdish as main language of the government, all correspondence need to be in both languages, as well as range of responsibility to ensure inclusive policy for all nationalities and religions residing in Iraq.
So far only 5 cases of genocide have been passed through the supreme court all 5 have been recognised as genocide, no actions have been taken by the central government of Iraq to start the process of compensation, or repatriation of victim remains, only a limited numbers of remains have been returned of burials, 1000’s of victims remains are still down in the south.No permission has been given but Iraq Central Government to start the process of returning the remains of victims. Meanwhile majority of cases related to Shiaa area of Iraq have been processed by the supreme court and majority of people effected by the previous regime have been compensated.
Exact extract from the Iraqi Constitution:
Article 4:
“First: The Arabic language and the Kurdish language are the two official languages of Iraq. The right of Iraqis to educate their children in their mother tongue, such as Turkmen, Syriac, and Armenian shall be guaranteed in government educational institutions in accordance with educational guidelines, or in any other language in private educational institutions.
Second: The scope of the term “official language” and the means of applying the provisions of this article shall be defined by a law and shall include:
A. Publication of the Official Gazette, in the two languages;
B. Speech, conversation, and expression in official domains, such as the Council of Representatives, the Council of Ministers, courts, and official conferences, in either of the two languages;
E. Use of both languages in any matter enjoined by the principle of equality such as bank notes, passports, and stamps. “
Currently Passport is issued in 2 languages of Kurdish and Arabic.
Article 4 is completely ignored by the central government, apart form Passport, Kurds in other parts of Iraq are ostracised an active ethnic cleansing have taken place in all Arab cities controlled by Baghdad central government.
Article 7: Iraqi Constitution
“First: Any entity or program that adopts, incites, facilitates, glorifies, promotes, or justifies racism or terrorism or accusations of being an infidel (takfir) or ethnic cleansing, especially the Saddamist Ba’ath in Iraq and its symbols, under any name whatsoever, shall be prohibited. Such entities may not be political pluralism in Iraq. This shall be regulated by law. “
From Jafari cabinet followed by Maleki and now Abadi , they have conducted their government in exact opposite of Article 7.
They have actively cleansed the army from Kurds and Sunni Arabs, governmental institution is actively promotes Shiaa followers to take high office only insignificant roles are given to a limited people even those will have to follow certain protocol that is forced upon.
Further more In the Iraqi Constitution in Article 9: “First:
A - The Iraqi armed forces and security services will be composed of the components of the Iraqi people with due consideration given to their balance and representation without discrimination or exclusion. They shall be subject to the control of the civilian authority, shall defend Iraq, shall not be used as an instrument
to oppress the Iraqi people, shall not interfere in the political affairs, and shall have no role in the transfer of authority.
B - The formation of military militias outside the framework of the armed forces is prohibited. “
Iraqi Government continued ignoring Article 9 to date, they have formed a Shiaa militia forces and have conducted systematic clearance of any Kurds or Sunni within the Army, there should have been a percentage according to the population of each nation, they have kept a token number of Kurds and Sunni.
In Article 14, 15, 16 of Iraqi Constitution:
“Article 14:
Iraqis are equal before the law without discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, origin, color, religion, sect, belief or opinion, or economic or social status. “
“Article 15:
Every individual has the right to enjoy life, security and liberty. Deprivation or restriction of these rights is prohibited except in accordance with the law and based on a decision issued by a competent judicial authority.”
“Article 16:
Equal opportunities shall be guaranteed to all Iraqis, and the state shall ensure that
the necessary measures to achieve this are taken. “
All of these 3 articles( 14,15 &16) have been ignored by the dominant Shiaa Government in Baghdad, Central Government of Baghdad have actively works against minorities both ethnic and religious to uproot them form major cities in Iraq and keep a dominance in Shiaa population in all areas controlled by the Central government thorough out the Shiaa controlled government led by Jafari , Maleki and Abadi.
Constitution made it clear that Iraqi Government requires to conduct census every 10 years, 1997, 2007, 2107 to ensure an accurate population head count is made to clarify population and representation to the Parliament, Iraqi Government in Baghdad have intentionally manipulated and avoided this requirements, arbitrarily Shiaa assumes majority in the Parliament without any accurate data.
“Article 132:
First: The State shall guarantee care for the families of the martyrs, political prisoners, and victims of the oppressive practices of the defunct dictatorial regime.”
“Article 134:
The Iraqi High Tribunal shall continue its duties as an independent judicial body, in examining the crimes of the defunct dictatorial regime and its symbols. The Council of Representatives shall have the right to dissolve it by law after the completion of its work.”
Articles 132 and 134 of Iraqi Constitution is equally ignored by Central Government
Cases and dossiers of Genocides against Kurdistani people have continued to be unattended, no follow up and no compensation only 5 cases out of 15 cases have been looked at and recognised by Independent Judicial Body, to date no actions have been taken to start the process of compensation and recognition of those who suffered as result of systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing by previous regime.
Iraqi Central Government is responsible to start the healing process of victims family, starting by allowing Kurdistani people to start bringing back remains of the love ones from Mass graves of 180,000 victims of Anfal Campaign, 10,000 victims of Faili and 8000 Barzani’s tribe and many more cases that numerous to mention here.
Disputed territories in Kurdistan have equally been kept without census by Iraqi Central Government, they have continued ignoring calls for referendum that should have taken place in 1997, every year a different excuse have been made by Iraqi Central Government to delay the referendum in disputed territories that are populated by Kurdistani people. Census were also ignored in all other parts of Iraq, an accurate head count of Shiaa and Sunni will certainly changes the demographic of the existing Make up of the Parliament in Iraq.
In Iraqi Constitution
“Article 140:
First: The executive authority shall undertake the necessary steps to complete the implementation of the requirements of all subparagraphs of Article 58 of the Transitional Administrative Law.
Second: The responsibility placed upon the executive branch of the Iraqi Transitional Government stipulated in Article 58 of the Transitional Administrative Law shall
extend and continue to the executive authority elected in accordance with this Constitution, provided that it accomplishes completely (normalisation and census and concludes with a referendum in Kirkuk and other disputed territories to determine the will of their citizens), by a date not to exceed the 31st of December 2007.”
Article 140 of Iraqi Constitution stipulates that within 5 years ( 1997) of signing the agreement there should have been a referendum on determining the future of Kurdish territories, continues excuses by Baghdad delaying the referendum have caused major interruptions in lives of Kurdistani people.
Further more Iraqi Government is responsible to protect borders of Iraq, the sis role of central Government, both Turkey and Iran in number of occasions have violated the international borders by entering Iraqi territories and bombarding areas within Iraqi Land, Central Government have not helped or make representation to the respective countries in objecting such action.
In addition when Kurdistan was under attack by the Daash in August 2014, Central Government Iraq did not help and have intentionally denied support in form of fund or supply of arms and ammunition.
Meanwhile the Iraqi army, fully armed by the US, have continued depriving Kurdish Armed forces Peshmarga from supply and salaries.
Central Government of Iraq have continued to deny support, and have actively imposed an embargo on Kurdistani people since 2013, by cutting share of national Income.
When the Kurdistan Regional government tried to find alternative source to compensate for lack of support from Central Government, Baghdad continued negative campaign against attempt to raise funds and selling Crude Oil by the KRG government.
Central Government of Baghdad to date have continued policy of pursuing international companies that are dealing with KRG, continues treat by Central Government of Iraq towards International companies trying to deal with KRG have made life difficult for Kurdistani people in every turn.
This is against very basic duty of central Government of Baghdad, their representative are actively in the international media and their social media are claiming that all of their action is justified and admit to their blatant denial and breaking the Iraqi Constitution.
“Kurds tried to make Iraq work.Constitution violated repeatedly”
Prof Brendan O’Leary 2017
KRG would at some point declares its secession from Iraq, its very much forgone conclusion. Kurdistan need a recognition that their fundamental basic human rights have been denied again and again throughout 20th century and 21st Century.
People of Kurdistan want to live in peace and quiet, to be given access to mass graves so to bring back the remains of their people, today a limited access has been granted over 200,000 remains are still in the south of Iraq, people of Kurdistan want a quiet moment to bury their dead and visit their unmarked graves, to reflect on the past 100 years of their loss of lives & livelihood caused by the constant denial of their rights by the rulers of Iraq since 1920’s.
Kurds want peace, they know the price of war, they know hunger, they are familiar with pain of mass live burials.
Kurds are familiar with displacement, familiar with their home being destroyed, familiar to start from scratch.
Kurdistani have the right to have their own country to build a brighter future.
Kurdistani people have made a pledge with the west that they will protect freedom and fight against terrorism, Kurds will protect joint interest of the western allies and will continue tirelessly to eradicate fundamentalism in any shape and form within its territories.
A quote from Saadi, a 13th Century poet from Iran, was made by Late Mustafa Barzani in 1962 to a journalist from the US: “ Joint interests makes a perfect ally”.
“We the people of Kurdistan want Independence. “
