Prime Minister Masrour Barzani's message on 37th anniversary of the genocide of the Barzanis

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (GOV.KRD) - Prime Minister Masrour Barzani commemorated on Friday the former Iraqi regime's genocide of Barzanis thirty-seven years ago. PM Barzani said:

“Today marks the 37th anniversary of the genocide of the Barzanis, one of the most evil crimes committed against the Kurdistani nation. The Baath regime massacred 8,000 innocent people because of their Kurdish ethnicity. The genocide of the Barzanis was the beginning of a bigger genocide against the Kurdistani nation. The Baathist regime rounded up thousands of innocent Kurdish men, women and children and brutally buried them alive in Iraqi deserts in a campaign known as Anfal.

“The genocide of Barzanis was a racist campaign to eliminate the Kurdish identity, and wipe out an oppressed nation. Had it not been for our endurance and continued revolutions to protect our homeland, the Kurdish identity and nation would face greater even dangers today.

“While we remember the genocide of Barzanis with great sadness, I reaffirm the government's commitment to serve the families of the martyred and all victims of Anfal. We will also continue in our efforts with the Iraqi government to compensate families of the Anfal for the damage and loss of life. Once again, I pay tribute to the victims of the genocide of Barzanis and Anfal, and to those who fell defending the Kurdistani nation.”

Masrour Barzani
Prime Minister