Kirkuk: Under the Tyranny of Militias and the Crime of Demographic Cleansing

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Abdullah Mohammed – Activist

Hashd al-Shaabi and the Occupation of Kirkuk and Disputed Territories

Following the betrayal of October 16, 2017, Kirkuk and the Kurdish disputed territories fell under the occupation of Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces). These forces, many of which are affiliated with Iran, have not only destabilized security but have also become the primary cause of undermining coexistence and altering the demography of the region. This occupying power, which arrived under the guise of security, has turned its bases within cities into sources of fear and anxiety. The control of checkpoints and main roads by these forces has disrupted commercial exchange and the daily lives of citizens. The authority of the local police has been weakened, and security decisions are made by militias, not official institutions. Hashd al-Shaabi has infiltrated the economic sphere of the region and become a source of corruption. The “economic offices” of these groups compel companies to pay taxes and protection money. The seizure of agricultural lands belonging to Kurds and Turkmens is part of the process of demographic change in the region and serves the economic interests of armed groups, which is a clear violation of property rights and Iraqi laws. One of the most dangerous impacts of Hashd al-Shaabi is their attempts to alter the demography of Kirkuk and the disputed territories. Their support for imported Arabs and the seizure of lands openly contradict Article 140 of the constitution. The suppression of Kurdish national identity, such as preventing the raising of the Kurdistan flag and arresting Kurdish youth for wearing traditional Kurdish clothing, are clear examples of these chauvinistic policies. International reports and human rights organizations continuously point to Hashd al-Shaabi’s violations, including arbitrary arrests, torture, and enforced disappearances of citizens under various pretexts. These actions are carried out without judicial warrants and outside the law, which indicates the dominance of jungle law over state law. Hashd al-Shaabi in Kirkuk and the disputed territories has created a “shadow state” that operates outside the control of the Iraqi central government. These forces, many of which are dependent on external powers, pose a significant threat to Iraq’s sovereignty, national coexistence, and regional security. The solution to this crisis can only be achieved through the complete withdrawal of Hashd al-Shaabi from these areas and the restoration of the rule of law and official institutions. Any other solution would only prolong this occupation and these.