Iraqi Presidency Calls for Recognition of Anfal Massacre as International Genocide

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The 37th anniversary of the Anfal massacre.

The Presidency of the Republic of Iraq issued a statement on the 37th anniversary of the Anfal massacre, which was perpetrated by the former regime against the Kurdish people. 

The statement reads as follows:

On this solemn anniversary of the brutal Anfal massacre, carried out by the former regime against the Kurdish population and resulting in the deaths of more than 180,000 men, women, and children, we strongly condemn this atrocious crime and reaffirm its classification as genocide.

We remember with profound sorrow the innocent lives lost, and we believe that the sacrifices of the martyrs form a cornerstone of our democratic foundation. We call upon the Iraqi parliament to enact legislation that will ensure financial and moral reparations for the families of the Anfal victims.

We further stress the need for the Anfal massacre to be formally recognised as an international crime of genocide. To this end, we urge our Permanent Mission to the United Nations to intensify efforts to secure official international recognition of this crime by the United Nations.

Iraq’s federal, parliamentary, democratic system is a notable model in the area and a source of national pride. All Iraqis—particularly those in the Kurdistan Region—have endured great suffering under the former dictatorship, a regime that posed threats not only to its own people but also to neighbouring countries and the wider region.

We call on all Iraqis—Arabs, Kurds, Shiites, Sunnis, Christians, Turkmen, and all other communities—to stand united in support of our democratic system, which serves as a guarantee of peace, justice, and peaceful coexistence for all segments of Iraqi society.

Presidency of the Republic
14 April 2025



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