Kurdish Houses in Newroz Neighbourhood Evacuated by Iraqi Army, PUK Steps In to Resolve Issue

PUKMEDIA

Newroz neighbourhood of Kirkuk

Representatives of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) are actively engaged to address the situation facing Kurdish households in the Newroz neighbourhood of Kirkuk, following a late-night raid by Iraqi army forces.

The raid reportedly affected between 10 and 25 houses, with residents facing forced evacuation demands by Iraqi army personnel as the lands allegedly belonged to the Ministry of Defence. 

Rebwar Taha, Governor of Kirkuk, visited the Newroz neighbourhood after the incident, and told reporters that the houses involved are state-owned and that the actions of certain army officers do not reflect official policy.

He affirmed that the issue should be resolved through legal means, and owners of the houses should return to their properties while the Kirkuk administration implements the necessary legal solutions.

Brako Sherko Fatih Shwani, PUK lawmaker in the Iraqi parliament, told PUKMEDIA: “We condemn the raid on several Kurdish houses in Newroz, carried out by the Iraqi army without warning and demanding residents to evacuate. While the land was originally registered under the Ministry of Defence, it has since been bought and sold following Iraq's liberation process. This issue must be resolved legally, not through forced eviction.”

He added that some forces have since withdrawn and that the PUK is actively working to ensure that Kurdish residents in Kirkuk are not treated unfairly.

Dilan Ghafur, also a PUK lawmaker in the Iraqi parliament, said: “We strongly condemn the attack on Kurdish families in Newroz. The Iraqi army’s behaviour is illegal. We are working with senior officials to resolve the issue and call on Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani to intervene immediately to end violations and restore normalcy in the neighbourhood.”

Mazen Gharib, another PUK lawmaker in the Iraqi parliament, emphasised: “What is happening to residents of Newroz is unacceptable. Several officers acted without the knowledge of the commander of operations, intending to commit abuse. We will not accept attacks on Kurds and are investigating the matter at the highest level.”

Kirkuk, where land disputes frequently arise between various parties, either different communities or between the Iraqi army and civilians, is part of the territories contested between Erbil and Baghdad

The disputed areas, which extend across the provinces of Diyala Governorate, Kirkuk Governorate, Nineveh Governorate and Saladin Governorate, are widely recognised as areas in which the former Iraqi Ba’ath regime pursued systematic Arabisation policies — a central factor underlying the ongoing disputes.

Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution was specifically drafted to address the status of the territories disputed between Erbil and Baghdad. However, the article has yet to be fully implemented.



PUKMEDIA