Peregraf — Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani marked the 38th anniversary of the Anfal Campaign on Monday by calling on the Iraqi government to provide reparations to victims and their families, describing the campaign as one of the most brutal acts carried out against the people of Kurdistan.
"The Anfal genocide campaign was among the most brutal ethnic cleansing and genocide operations carried out by the former Iraqi regime against the people of Kurdistan," Barzani said in a statement.
He said the campaign resulted in the disappearance and killing of thousands of civilians, along with the destruction of thousands of Kurdish villages and rural communities.
"The genocide and the massacres committed against the people of Kurdistan must always remain in our memory," he said, adding that future generations must understand that current achievements "were not gained easily… but are the fruits of the struggle and the blood of thousands of Kurdistani martyrs."
Barzani reaffirmed that Baghdad must fulfill its "moral and constitutional responsibility" by compensating the families of victims.
"On the 38th anniversary of Anfal, we pay tribute to the victims and all the martyrs of Kurdistan," he added.
The Anfal Campaign was carried out in 1988 by Iraq's former Baath regime, lasted seven months, and resulted in the killing of an estimated 50,000 to 182,000 Kurds, according to various human rights organizations — though the figures remain disputed. Thousands of villages were destroyed and entire communities were forcibly displaced.
Survivors and advocacy groups have long called for accountability, with efforts to prosecute individuals responsible for crimes committed during the campaign producing limited results to date.