Today Marks the 51st Anniversary of the Qaladiza Bombing

PUKMEDIA Archive

Qaladiza Town.

Today marks the 51st anniversary of the bombing of Qaladiza town, where internationally banned napalm weapons were used, causing numerous civilian casualties.

On this day in 1974, at 9:45 a.m., warplanes of the criminal Ba'ath regime launched an attack on the city using napalm, which is banned under international law. The bombing targeted civilian areas, including the homes of students from Sulaymaniyah University, who had relocated to Qaladiza during the revolution. It also hit key locations such as the university’s administration, a section of Qaladiza Hospital, the mayor's office, government buildings, schools, and approximately 27 homes and 40 civilian businesses.

This brutal assault resulted in the deaths of 163 civilians, including 9 students, and left 300 others injured, the majority of whom were women, children, and the elderly, as well as several students and teachers.

The anniversary of the bombing coincides with the 1982 uprising in Qaladiza against the former Ba'athist regime. The regime brutally suppressed the protest, opening fire on civilians and killing two women, wounding dozens, and imprisoning hundreds.



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