On the 37th anniversary of the genocidal Anfal Campaign, Kurdish leaders commemorated its victims and called on Baghdad to provide compensation for survivors.

During the Anfal Campaign, which took place in the final years of the Iran-Iraq War, over 180,000 men, women, and children from Kurdistan were killed by the Ba’ath regime. Moreover, over 4,500 villages were demolished in an attempt to destroy Kurdistan’s rural way of life and heritage.

President Barzani's Message on the 37th Anniversary of the Anfal Genocide

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The Anfal Campaign was part of the crimes and atrocities committed against our people in the last century by the former Iraqi regime. These… pic.twitter.com/9lNlvezVhl

— KDP ForeignRelations (@kdpfro) April 14, 2025

“The perpetrators have ended up in the dustbin of history, but the wounds and tragedies of genocide and injustice remain deep and have not yet healed,” said President Masoud Barzani.

“The Iraqi state must fulfill its duty to compensate for the Anfal crime and genocide committed against our people. All chauvinistic mentalities, policies, and practices against the people of
Kurdistan must be prevented.”

“The Anfal genocide was a heinous crime committed against the land and people of Kurdistan. Its consequences and pain still endure to this day,” Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said in a separate statement.

لە (37)مین ساڵیادی شاڵاوەکانی ئەنفال، بە ڕێزەوە یادی شەهیدان و قوربانییان دەکەینەوە، کە ڕژێمی پێشووی عێراق، بە دەیان هەزار خەڵكی بێتاوانی كوردستانی ڕاپێچی بیابانەكانی باشوور و ناوەڕاستی عێراق کرد و لە گۆڕی بە کۆمەڵدا زیندەبەچاڵ و بێسەروشوێنی كردن. pic.twitter.com/SNvVL36ozP

— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) April 14, 2025

“The Federal Government must fulfill its legal, constitutional, and moral responsibilities by compensating the families and victims of the Anfal genocide and all others who suffered under the Ba’ath regime, both materially and emotionally.

“The KRG reaffirms its commitment to continue serving the proud families of the Anfal victims and all martyrs of Kurdistan.”

Furthermore, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani added that all relevant entities within the Kurdistan Region “are committed to supporting and caring for the families of the martyrs, restoring the areas affected by Anfal, recovering and returning the remains of the martyrs … We will continue our efforts to secure full international recognition of the Anfal campaign as genocide.

“The status and achievements of the Kurdistan Region are a direct result of the sacrifices made by the martyrs. On this occasion, we reaffirm our commitment to unity and solidarity in safeguarding our constitutional rights and striving for a future defined by justice and peace for the people of Kurdistan.”

لە ڕۆژی یادکردنەوەی ئەنفالدا، وەزیر هامیش فالکۆنەر @HFalconerMP ئەو کەسانە بەرز ڕادەگرێت کە لە شاڵاوی ئەنفالدا لە لایەن سەدام حوسەینەوە گیانیان لەدەستدا pic.twitter.com/ifG77lnpsn

— UK in Erbil (@ukinerbil) April 14, 2025

On the day of remembrance for the victims of the Anfal Campaign, UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East Hamish Falconer honored those who lost their lives in the campaign in a statement posted by the UK Consulate on X.

“My thoughts along with the British government are with their families and loved ones on this mournful day. The UK’s hope for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is still a future of peace, stability, and prosperity for its people.”