Ancient
115-470: Medieval Modern Kurdistan Region ( KRI ) is a semi- autonomous administrative division in the Republic of Iraq . It comprises four Kurdish -majority governorates of Arab -majority Iraq: Erbil Governorate , Sulaymaniyah Governorate , Duhok Governorate , and Halabja Governorate . It is located in northern Iraq, which shares borders with Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, and Syria to
230-508: A region of France , enjoys a greater degree of autonomy on matters such as tax and education compared to mainland regions. New Caledonia , a sui generis collectivity, and French Polynesia , an overseas collectivity , are highly autonomous territories with their own government, legislature, currency, and constitution. They do not, however, have legislative powers for policy areas relating to law and order, defense, border control or university education. Other smaller overseas collectivities have
345-651: A concession would damage his image, and the military campaign waged on against Barzani's rebellion. Through the rest of 1962, Barzani's campaign proved to cause Qasim's position in Baghdad to become increasingly unstable, and he directed the KDP into talks with the Ba'athists and Nasserists, the two factions most likely to succeed Qasim. On 8 February 1963, a military coup took place which overthrew and executed Qasim. The Nasserist Colonel Abdul Salam Arif become president of Iraq and
460-829: A conference program commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. On 27 November 2010, the Kurdish government officially admitted to violence against women in Kurdistan and began taking serious measures. 21 June 2011 The Family Violence Bill was approved by the Kurdistan Parliament, it includes several provisions criminalizing the practice. A 2011 Kurdish law criminalized FGM practice in Iraqi Kurdistan and law
575-466: A degree of autonomy — self-governance — under the national government. Autonomous areas are distinct from other constituent units of a federation (e.g. a state, or province) in that they possess unique powers for their given circumstances. Typically, it is either geographically distinct from the rest of the state or populated by a national minority, which may exercise home rule . Decentralization of self-governing powers and functions to such divisions
690-407: A factor of five, to about 1 million barrels per day (160,000 m/d). Notable companies active in Kurdistan include Exxon , TotalEnergies , Chevron , Talisman Energy , DNO , MOL Group , Genel Energy , Hunt Oil , Gulf Keystone Petroleum , and Marathon Oil . Other mineral resources that exist in significant quantities in the region include coal , copper , gold , iron , limestone (which
805-761: A four-year term. In case of extensions of parliament's term, the president's term is also automatically extended. The current President is Nechirvan Barzani , who assumed office on 1 June 2019. The Kurdistan Parliament has 111 seats and are held every fifth year. Traditionally, the two major parties in Kurdistan Region are Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). The Carnegie Middle East Center wrote in August 2015 that: The Kurdistan region of Iraq enjoys more stability, economic development, and political pluralism than
920-650: A lesser degree of autonomy through local legislatures. The five overseas regions, French Guiana , Guadeloupe , Martinique , Mayotte , and Réunion , are generally governed the same as mainland regions; however, they enjoy some additional powers, including certain legislative powers for devolved areas. New Zealand maintains nominal sovereignty over three Pacific Island nations. The Cook Islands and Niue are self-governing countries in free association with New Zealand that maintain some international relationships in their own name. Tokelau remains an autonomous dependency of New Zealand. The Chatham Islands —despite having
1035-509: A major operation that was to take place in March against Barzani's headquarters near the border of Iran, President Arif died in a helicopter crash on 13 April 1966. The death of Arif prompted a power struggle in Baghdad which gave Barzani time to reorganize, but operations resumed once more by the summer once Arif's brother, Abdul Rahman Arif , became president and vowed to continue the war. The civilian prime minister Abd ar-Rahman al-Bazzaz saw
1150-806: A member of the Soviet Red Army. During his time in exile, the Kurdish Democratic Party was founded in Iraq, holding its first Congress on 16 August 1946, in Baghdad, electing Mustafa Barzani as its president. The party would later rename itself to the Kurdistan Democratic Party in January 1953 during its Third Congress. Mustafa Barzani, following his return to Iraq in 1958, would engage in numerous insurgencies against Baghdad, often seeking and gaining support from
1265-517: A military regiment and received training in military tactics and politics, as well as education to learn to read and write Kurdish . On 19 January 1948, a conference was held gathering Kurds from Iraq and Iran in Baku, where Barzani outlined a plan for the Kurdish movement. This prompted Iran to again demand that the Soviet Union extradite Barzani and his followers to Iran to stand trial, which
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#17327661968581380-528: A number of disillusioned members of the KDP, angered with Barzani's opening towards the United States, Israel and Iran, and the perceived betrayal of KDP's socialist origins, defected to Baghdad. The 1975 Algiers Agreement was signed between Iran and Iraq in March during an OPEC conference in Algiers , mediated by Algerian President Houari Boumediène and thus ending the long-running feud between
1495-513: A rank in the Red Army , which appears to have been false. Recounting the story years later to Yevgeny Primakov , Barzani recalled that he had bought a uniform at a Voentorg (military supplies) store while in Tashkent in 1951, and took a picture of himself wearing it. This picture somehow fell into the hands of British intelligence, which was the source of rumors of Barzani having been inducted as
1610-471: A second official language of the republic with Arabic , along with autonomy in northern Iraq excluding Kirkuk , Khanaqin and other Kurdish cities, in exchange of full control of Iraqi army over Kurdistan. The government began reconstruction in northern Iraq and work towards creating an autonomous region, appointed five Kurdish men to junior-level ministries in the government, incorporating the Kurds along with
1725-552: A truce, recognizing the toll the war had taken on the Kurdish people by that point. During the sixth congress of the KDP held in November that year, the KDP decided to accept the terms of the Bazzazz Declaration but indicated that it would still push for autonomy. Barzani continued to consolidate his power in Iraqi Kurdistan, which had mostly fallen out of control from Baghdad by that point. His increasing position in
1840-562: A truce, which he accepted. A subsequent agreement between Barzani and Arif would end hostilities between the government and the Kurds, though autonomy was not included. By this point Barzani turned his attention towards asserting his leadership over the KDP, due to the opposition from various factions, namely the one led by Talabani and Ahmad. Soon, the political divisions evolved into one that saw Barzani leading tribal and conservative elements of Kurdish society on one end with Talabani and Ahmad leading progressive minded leftist intellectual Kurds on
1955-423: Is a way for a national government to try to increase democratic participation or administrative efficiency or to defuse internal conflicts. States that include autonomous areas may be federacies , federations , or confederations . Autonomous areas can be divided into territorial autonomies, subregional territorial autonomies, and local autonomies. Tobago Gibraltar is a self-governing overseas territory of
2070-528: Is an autonomous region in northern Iraq . It borders Iran in the east, Turkey in the north, and Syria in the west. The region encompasses most of Iraqi Kurdistan , which is the southern part of the greater geographical region of Kurdistan . The region lies between latitudes 34° and 38°N , and longitudes 41° and 47°E . Most of the northern and northeastern parts of the region are mountainous, especially those bordering Turkey and Iran. The region has several high mountains and mountain ranges. Other areas of
2185-428: Is divided into four governorates (Kurdish: پارێزگا , Parêzga ): the governorates of Erbil , Sulaymaniyah , Duhok , and Halabja . Each of these governorates is divided into districts, for a total of 26 districts. Each district is also divided into sub-districts. Each governorate has a capital city, while districts and sub-districts have 'district centers'. Economy by sector ( GDP , 2013) The Kurdistan Region has
2300-401: Is dominated by the oil industry . However, Kurdish officials have since the late 2010s attempted to diversify the economy to mitigate a new economic crisis like the one which hit the region during the fight against ISIL. Major oil export partners include Israel , Italy , France and Greece . KRG -controlled parts of Iraqi Kurdistan contain 4 billion barrels of proven oil reserves. However,
2415-534: Is professed by Assyrians and Armenians . Yazidis make up a significant minority, with some 650,000 in 2005, or 560,000 as of 2013, The Yarsan (Ahl-e Haqq or Kakai) religion numbers around 200,000 adherents respectively. In 2020, it was reported that 60 Zoroastrian families live in Iraqi Kurdistan. The first Zoroastrian temple was opened in the city of Sulaymaniyah (Silêmanî) in September 2016. A tiny ethno-religious community of Mandaeans also exists within
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#17327661968582530-625: Is the latest with a planned opening in Suleimaniah in September 2011. The Kurdistan Region's official universities are listed below, followed by their English acronym (if commonly used), internet domain, establishment date and latest data about the number of students. Iraqi Kurdistan has been investing in the growth of its human capital in general. Public sector employees are often enrolled in local training programmes or sent overseas to participate in training courses, technical classes, and professional development programmes. However, factors such as
2645-623: Is used to produce cement ), marble , and zinc . The world's largest deposit of rock sulfur is located just southwest of Erbil . In July 2012, Turkey and the Kurdistan Regional Government signed an agreement by which Turkey would supply the KRG with refined petroleum products in exchange for crude oil. However, in March 2023 the International Chamber of Commerce ruled that this agreement was illegal, causing
2760-726: The Azerbaijani SSR , kept in camps near and around Baku . Barzani met with Azerbaijan Communist Party officials, who under orders from Moscow were told to help the Kurds . In November 1947, Barzani met for the first time Mir Jafar Baghirov , the First Secretary of the Azerbaijan Communist Party, to discuss what the Kurds could do in the Soviet Union . Barzani's followers were organized into
2875-531: The Euphrates softshell turtle . Bird species include, the see-see partridge , Menetries's warbler , western jackdaw , Red-billed chough , hooded crow , European nightjar , rufous-tailed scrub robin , masked shrike and the pale rockfinch . The Kurdistan Region is a multi-party, democratic and parliamentary republic and has a presidential system wherein the President is elected by Parliament for
2990-632: The Iraq War (2003–2011) , and built a parliamentary democracy with a growing economy. In 2014, when the Syria -based Islamic State began their Northern Iraq offensive and invaded the country, the Iraqi Armed Forces retreated from most of the disputed territories. The KRI's Peshmerga then entered and took control of them for the duration of the War in Iraq (2013–2017) . In October 2017, following
3105-678: The KGB , CIA , Mossad , MI6 and SAVAK , as well as support from Syria and Jordan depending on which country was opposed to the government in Baghdad at the time, taking advantage of the complexities of the Cold War in the Middle-East. Following the Republican coup against the Hashemite monarchy, the Kurds were granted more rights. In the provisional Iraqi constitution on 27 July 1958
3220-595: The Kirkuk mega-field . This act caused Baghdad to threaten to revoke Exxon's contract in its southern fields, most notably the West-Qurna Phase 1 project. Exxon responded by announcing its intention to leave the West-Qurna project. As of July 2007, the Kurdish government solicited foreign companies to invest in 40 new oil sites, with the hope of increasing regional oil production over the following 5 years by
3335-749: The Kurdistan Regional Government (in Erbil ) and the Government of Iraq (in Baghdad ) to the present day. The Kurdistan Region Parliament is based in Erbil, the capital of KRI. Throughout the 20th century, Iraqi Kurds oscillated between fighting for autonomy and for full independence. Under the Ba'athist regime , the Kurds experienced Arabization and genocidal campaigns at the hands of
3450-567: The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in June 1975, criticizing Barzani and KDP for what they described as "the inability of the feudalist, tribalist, bourgeois, rightist and capitulationist Kurdish leadership". Barzani and his family were settled near Tehran in Karaj . The KDP went through a chaotic period as it attempted to reorganize itself in face of the defeat at the hands of the Ba'ath in Iraq. Barzani and his aides continued trying to get support from
3565-749: The Royal Air Force . Nonetheless, the Kurdish struggle persisted and the Barzani tribe had by the early 1920s gained momentum for the Kurdish nationalist cause and would become pivotal in the Kurdish-Iraqi wars throughout the 20th century. In 1943, the Barzani chief Mustafa Barzani began raiding Iraqi police stations in Kurdistan , which led the Baghdad government to deploy 30,000 troops to
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3680-500: The US-led invasion in 2003 to regain what land they considered historically theirs. Despite being landlocked, the Kurdistan Region pursues a proactive foreign policy, which includes strengthening diplomatic relations with Iran , Russia , United States and Turkey . Twenty nine countries have a diplomatic presence in the Kurdistan Region , while the Kurdistan Region has representative offices in 14 countries . The Kurdistan Region
3795-638: The United States mediated a ceasefire and the two warring parties signed the Washington Agreement deal, where in it was stipulated that the two parties would agree on revenue-sharing, power-sharing and security arrangements. The anarchy in Kurdistan during the war created an opportunity for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which created bases in the northern mountainous areas of the Kurdistan Region, which still operates in
3910-606: The Uzbek SSR in August 1948, but Baghriov's disputes with Barzani were not forgotten. Despite assurances from both the Secretary-General of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan Usman Yusupov , Baghirov's rivalry with Barzani spilled over into Uzbekistan and resulted in Barzani himself and much of his followers to be separate and spread across the country to do hard labor. For the following three years, Barzani
4025-654: The overthrow of the Shah , the departure of Henry Kissinger following Gerald Ford's defeat in the 1976 U.S. presidential elections , and the death of Algerian President Houari Boumediene , three figures who had affected his movement negatively in their involvement in the Algiers Agreement. Seeking to treat lung cancer, Barzani went to the United States, and died on 1 March 1979, at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. , while undergoing treatment. He
4140-510: The Ba'ath sever ties with pro-government Kurds and the Ahmad-Talabani faction, and recognize him as the sole power within the KDP, as well as terms of autonomy was also discussed. With Mahmoud Othman conducting negotiations on behalf of the KDP, and Saddam Hussein on behalf of the government, the final agreement was reached on 11 March 1970. The final terms of the agreement recognized the Kurdish people and considered Kurdish language
4255-596: The Ba'athist General Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr become prime minister. The latter resulted in a Ba'athist domination in the government, forming the National Council of the Revolutionary Command . Not forgetting Barzani's role in quelling the insurrection in Mosul back in 1959, as well as Barzani's contacts with foreign intelligence, the new government was suspicious towards Barzani. Mustafa Barzani and
4370-403: The Barzani tribe before then. Iraq received help from its British allies, who engaged in aerial warfare against territories in rebellion. The aerial bombardments led to widespread damage and setbacks, leading Sheikh Ahmed to surrender to Turkish forces on the then-contested border with Turkey in June 1932, while Mustafa Barzani and a brother Muhammad Sadiq continued fighting for another year. On
4485-693: The Communists, Barzani and the KDP sided with Qasim during an uprising of Ba'athists and other Arab Nationalists in Mosul in March 1959, entering into the city to fight off the insurrection. Following a deadly riot instigated by leftists in Kirkuk in July 1959 , Qasim denounced the ICP and Barzani followed suit, seeing the ICP as a rival in northern Iraq. Barzani severed ties with the party and restored Ibrahim Ahmad to his original position and elevated Jalal Talabani to
4600-650: The ICP into the National Front and provided Barzani with a stipend to manage the KDP. Ibrahim Ahmad and Jalal Talabani also reunified with the KDP. However relations quickly began to deteriorate as Barzani accused Iraq of continuing Arabification to decrease Kurdish standings in contested cities such as Kirkuk and in not being committed to a genuine autonomous zone. An assassination attempt took place against Barzani in September 1971 when Barzani received religious officials in his headquarters. The clerics had thought they were carrying suitcases with recording devices for
4715-629: The Iranian divisions, and was one of the few who did not surrender or defect to the advancing Iranian forces. In May 1946 the Soviet troops were withdrawn from Iran and all support for the Republic of Kurdistan was cut, in accordance with the Yalta Agreement . In December of that year Mahabad was finally overrun by Iranian troops, which was followed with harsh punishments for those involved;
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4830-620: The Iraqi and Iranian governments. Mustafa Barzani was born in 1903 in Barzan , a village in southern Iraqi Kurdistan . Following an insurrection launched by his tribe, he and his family were imprisoned, when Barzani was only three years old. His father, grandfather, and a brother were later executed by the Ottoman authorities for other insurrections. At an early age he was sent by his older brother Sheikh Ahmed Barzani to join with about twenty men
4945-546: The Iraqi government began ethnic cleansing Kurdish-populated areas, to reduce the size of the autonomous entity which a census would determine. This mistrust provoked the Second Iraqi–Kurdish War between 1974 and 1975, which resulted in a serious defeat for the Iraqi Kurds (see Algiers Accord ) and forced all of the rebels to flee once more to Iran. The more left-leaning Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)
5060-569: The Islamist Ansar al-Islam group in Halabja area as Kurdistan hosted thousands of soldiers. The Kurdish autonomy which had existed since 1992 was formally recognized by the new Iraqi government in 2005 in the new Iraqi constitution and the KDP- and PUK-administered areas reunified in 2006, making the Kurdistan Region into one single administration. This reunification prompted Kurdish leaders and
5175-575: The KDP severed its agreements with Baghdad and entered into hostilities with the government. Barzani attempted to gain support from the United States, alienating many Iraqi progressives and the ICP, who felt that such a move was a betrayal for everything the KDP stood for. Barzani however managed to lead the peshmerga effectively, inflicting casualties on the military to the point that Qasim offered peace twice in November 1961 and in March 1962, both times rejected by Barzani who raised autonomy requests. Such demands were unfeasible for Qasim who knew that such
5290-583: The KDP. With his power secure in the KDP, Barzani raised the demand for autonomy to President Arif, quickly souring relations between the two. In March 1965, hostilities began between Barzani and Baghdad, leading to a massive military operation in northern Iraq that saw nearly 100,000 soldiers deployed by Iraq to fight Barzani and the Peshmerga, as well as other Kurdish factions such as the Talabani-Ahmad faction which had returned to Iraq. The operation
5405-412: The KRG has estimated that the region contains around 45 billion barrels (7.2 × 10 ^ m) of unproven oil resource. Extraction of these reserves began in 2007. In November 2011, Exxon challenged the Iraqi central government's authority with the signing of oil and gas contracts for exploration rights to six parcels of land in Kurdistan, including one contract in the disputed territories, just east of
5520-608: The Kurdish President Masoud Barzani to focus on bringing the Kurdish areas outside of the Kurdistan Region into the region and building healthy institutions. In 2009, Kurdistan saw the birth of a new major party, the Gorran Movement , which was founded because of tensions in PUK and would subsequently weaken the party profoundly. The second most important political PUK figure, Nawshirwan Mustafa ,
5635-416: The Kurdish capital estimates that around 50,000 Kurds from Turkey are now living in the Kurdistan Region. The Kurdistan Region is hosting 1.2 million displaced Iraqis who have been displaced by the ISIS war, as of early December 2017. There were about 335,000 in the area prior to 2014 with the rest arriving in 2014 as a result of unrest in Syria and attacks by the Islamic State . Before the establishment of
5750-456: The Kurdish region, focusing on those with long-time rivalries with the Barzanis such as the Zebaris and the Harki, creating tribal disputes in the autumn of 1960. Other figures within the KDP such as Ahmad and Talabani began to voice more opposition to Qasim through party publications, displeased with the lack of progress towards any autonomy for the Kurds. Qasim severed the government stipend and privileges to Barzani by early 1961, and for much of
5865-416: The Kurdistan List, provoking both KDP and PUK. Gorran also attempted to create goodwill with the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki , which only aggravated the situation in Kurdistan, and the KDP and PUK chose to boycott Gorran from politics. In the period leading up to the ISIL invasion of Iraq in June 2014, the Iraqi-Kurdish relations were in a decline that the war against the Islamic State of Iraq and
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#17327661968585980-416: The Kurdistan Region in 2005 (as a 'federal region'), after the American-led 2003 invasion of Iraq overthrew Saddam Hussein . In September 2017, the KRI passed a non-binding independence referendum , inviting mixed reactions internationally. The KRI largely escaped the privations that afflicted other parts of Iraq in the last years of Saddam Hussein's rule as well as the chaos that followed his ousting during
6095-441: The Kurdistan Regional Government, primary and secondary education was almost entirely taught in Arabic. Higher education was always taught in Arabic. This however changed with the establishment of the Kurdistan Autonomous Region. The first international school, the International School of Choueifat opened its branch in the Kurdistan Region in 2006. Other international schools have opened and British International Schools in Kurdistan
6210-547: The Levant (ISIL) only worsened. When Iraqi forces withdrew from the Syrian-Iraqi border and away from the disputed areas, the Kurdistan Region consequently had a 1,000 km front with ISIL, which put the region into an economic stalemate. However, Kurdistan did not compromise on their stance regarding financial independence from Baghdad. Due to the Iraqi withdrawal, Kurdish Peshmerga took control of most disputed areas, including Kirkuk , Khanaqin , Jalawla , Bashiqa , Sinjar and Makhmur . The strategically important Mosul Dam
6325-418: The Region in the 2010s with frequent calls for withdrawal. In advance of the Iraq war in 2003, the two parties united in the negotiations with the Arab opposition to Saddam Hussein and succeeded in harvesting political, economic, and security gains and the Arab opposition agreed to recognize Kurdish autonomy in the case that Saddam Hussein was removed from power. America and Kurdistan also jointly rooted out
6440-407: The Soviet Union rejected. Barzani however fast ran into problems with Baghirov due to differences and stances towards the Kurdish movement. As Baghirov was connected to Lavrentiy Beria , this gave Baghriov a lot of power in regional affairs, leading to Barzani requesting his followers be transferred out of Azerbaijan fearing Baghirov would act against them. Barzani and the others were transferred to
6555-401: The Soviet sphere like Syria. Israel also increased support to Barzani hoping to frustrate the Ba'ath in Iraq. The moves would bolster Barzani and his forces, but would alienate many figures within the KDP as well as leftists sympathetic to the Kurdish cause within Iraq. Among the defectors from the KDP was Barzani's own son Ubeydullah who defected from the movement and preferred to cooperate with
6670-465: The Talabani-Ahmad faction to bypass Barzani, prompting Barzani to enter into hostilities with the government again, shelling Kirkuk in March 1969. Barzani's ability to secure aid from Iran caused trouble for the new Ba'ath government, which saw that it would prevent any conclusive victory militarily. By May 1969 the government indicated its willingness to negotiate with Barzani, culminating in formal negotiations by December that year. Barzani demanded that
6785-438: The UK . Most of the other 13 British Overseas Territories also have autonomy in internal affairs through local legislatures. Aruba , Curaçao , and Sint Maarten are autonomous countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands , each with their own parliament. In addition they enjoy autonomy in taxation matters as well as having their own currencies. The French Constitution recognises three autonomous jurisdictions. Corsica ,
6900-495: The United States, seeing that the Soviet Union had settled for amicable relations with the new government in Iraq. The United States had shown that it only saw the Kurds as a tool, and had no interest in advancing Kurdish nationalist goals, as Barzani soon realized. The findings of the Pike Commission confirmed this, showing the CIA was only interested in the Kurds to wear down Iraq but had no intention of ever following through with Barzani's ambitions. Barzani lived long enough to see
7015-492: The advice of Sheikh Ahmed, Mustafa Barzani surrendered to Iraq. But in 1939 he was involved in the formation of the political party Hewa (Hope), the first Kurdish political party in Iraq. Mustafa Barzani was kept under surveillance until 1943, when he again broke free from his exile in Sulaymaniyah as Iraq underwent the effects of World War II. Baghdad again utilized tribal rivalries to defeat Barzani, sending him, Sheikh Ahmad, and about three thousand followers fleeing across
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#17327661968587130-443: The age of 15. Kurdistan has a religiously diverse population. The dominant religion is Islam , which is professed by the majority of Kurdistan Region's inhabitants. These include Kurds, Iraqi Turkmen, and Arabs, belonging mostly to the Shafi'i school of Sunni Islam. There is also a small number of Shia Feyli Kurds . In 2015, the Kurdistan Regional Government enacted a law to formally protect religious minorities. Christianity
7245-471: The benefit of Baghdad, but had instead been wired with explosives. The explosion did not kill Barzani but killed others participating in the meeting, and in the confusion Peshmerga guards rushed in and killed the clerics. The government drivers who drove the clerics tried to salvage the assassination and tossed a grenade, killing a Peshmerga and wounding twelve, but missing Barzani, before they themselves were shot and killed. Despite being unable to capture any of
7360-428: The border to Iran, entering Oshnavieh in October 1945, where Kurdish nationalists under the guidance of the Soviet Union were establishing a new Kurdish state. Despite differences between Qazi Muhammad and Mustafa Barzani, the arrival of Barzani's forces gave a boost to the ability of the nationalists to assert control over the region. In December 1945 the Kurdish Republic of Mahabad was declared by Qazi Muhammad,
7475-479: The cabinet broke down due to plagues of embattlement and technocracy which disenfranchised the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and a new more partisan cabinet was formed and led by PUK politician Kosrat Rasul Ali in April 1993. The KDP-PUK relations quickly deteriorated and the first clashes in the civil war took place in May 1994 when PUK captured the towns of Shaqlawa and Chamchamal from KDP, which in turn pushed PUK out of Salahaddin (near Erbil). In September 1998,
7590-401: The concerns of Barzani and his followers. The committee found that Barzani and his followers were unfairly treated, and in August 1951 the Soviet government reunited Barzani and the other Kurds, giving Mustafa Barzani a residence in Tashkent while the rest were given homes in a small community outside of Tashkent. All of them were provided with jobs, education, training, and social services that
7705-403: The conspirators for questioning, Barzani would maintain that Saddam Hussein was personally responsible for the attack. With his perception of the Ba'ath soured, Barzani refused to close the border of Iran and continued receiving arms and supplies from Iran , which increased following the Soviet-Iraqi Treaty of Friendship in April 1972 once the United States was concerned about Iraq entering into
7820-421: The country. Mustafa Barzani faced similar challenges within the KDP, with divisions rising over land reform , political position, and alliances with other parties in Iraq such as the Iraqi Communist Party . Barzani quickly asserted control over the KDP, ousting the General-Secretary Ibrahim Ahmad and replacing him with the pro-Communist Hamza Abdullah in January 1959 and cementing ties with the ICP. Along with
7935-429: The defeat of the Islamic State, the Iraqi Armed Forces attacked the Peshmerga and reasserted control over the disputed territories. Before Iraq became an independent state in 1923, the Iraqi Kurds had already begun their independence struggle from the British Mandatory Iraq with the Mahmud Barzanji revolts , which were subsequently crushed by the United Kingdom after a bombing campaign against Kurdish civilians by
8050-462: The designation of Territory —is an integral part of the country, situated within the New Zealand archipelago; its council is not autonomous and has broadly the same powers as other local councils, although notably it can also charge levies on goods entering or leaving the islands. In Ethiopia , "special woredas" are a subgroup of woredas (districts) that are organized around the traditional homelands of specific ethnic minorities , and are outside
8165-401: The disputed territories as those areas Arabised and whose border modified between 17 July 1968 and 9 April 2003. Those areas include parts of four governorates of pre-1968 borders. Disputed internal Kurdish–Iraqi boundaries have been a core concern for Arabs and Kurds, especially since US invasion and political restructuring in 2003. Kurds gained territory to the south of Iraqi Kurdistan after
8280-422: The efficiency of the training process. In the long run, this will have an effect on private sector training and growth. In 2010 Human Rights Watch reported that journalists in the Kurdistan Region who criticize the regional government have faced substantial violence, threats, and lawsuits, and some have fled the country. Some journalists faced trial and threats of imprisonment for their reports about corruption in
8395-414: The end for Barzani's rebellion as it could no longer keep the peshmerga supplied. On 23 March, just a few days after the Algiers Agreement was finalized, Barzani and nearly 100,000 followers left Iraq for Iran, ending the insurrection against Iraq, and allowing the Ba'ath Party to implement its assimilation policies towards the Kurds. Ahmad and Talabani, along with their supporters, would go to Syria and found
8510-588: The federal government in Baghdad. However, when the United States , the United Kingdom , and France established the Iraqi no-fly zones , which restricted the federal government's power in the country's northern and southern areas following the Gulf War, the Kurds were given a chance to experiment with self-governance and the autonomous region was de facto established. The Iraqi government only recognized
8625-574: The futility of the military operation and instead proposed Barzani a peace offer, which incorporated a number of demands of the KDP, forming the "Bazzaz Declaration". Bazzaz was however forced to resign from his position in August 1966, dashing any hope for the Bazzaz Declaration to be implemented at the time. President Arif would however recognize the troubles the war was bringing, and seeking to cement his own position in Iraq decided to visit Barzani that fall. Barzani accepted Arif's offer of
8740-405: The government has started to publish more detailed figures. The population of the region is notoriously difficult to ascertain, as the Iraqi government has historically sought to minimize the importance of the Kurdish minority while Kurdish groups have had a tendency to exaggerate the numbers. Based on available data, Kurdistan has a young population with an estimated 36% of the population being under
8855-409: The government would attempt ineffective negotiations, and after Barzani's autonomy request which included much of Iraq's oil fields around Kirkuk and Mosul, the government moved against the KDP in northern Iraq. The campaign faced difficulties though, and allowed for President Arif's power grab in November 1963, ousting the Ba'athists from the national government. President Arif quickly offered Barzani
8970-660: The houses of the Zibari chiefs as well as the ones from the Barzanis. In 1931 he followed his older brother, the Barzani chieftain ( sheikh ) Ahmed Barzani , who led an insurrection against Baghdad's attempts to break up tribal power in the Kurdish regions of Iraq. The insurrection began when Sheikh Ahmed had entered into a feud with a neighboring tribal chieftain in Baradost after the latter attacked Sheikh Ahmed for heresy , prompting Iraq to intervene as they had intended to check
9085-418: The lack of a practical and formal HRD framework specific to the KRG's public sector, the absence of evaluation process, inadequate civil service training institutions, and corruption have hampered effective and efficient professional development and training in the public sector. Therefore, an assessment of such programmes and their outcomes is needed to identify any misuse of public funds, as well as to assist in
9200-469: The land is rainfed arable agricultural land and 328,428 hectares (8%) is Irrigated arable agricultural land. The climate of the Kurdistan Region is semi-arid continental ; hot and dry in summer, and cold and wet in winter. The region is cooler compared to the central and southern parts of Iraq. Summers are hot and dry, with high average temperatures ranging from 35 °C (95 °F) in the cooler northernmost areas to blistering 40 °C (104 °F) in
9315-606: The leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party-Iran in Mahabad (northwestern Iran) which was under Soviet military control. Barzani was appointed as the Minister of Defense and commander of the Kurdish army in the Republic of Kurdistan. As Iranian forces began to engage the forces of the Republic of Mahabad, Barzani quickly proved his reputation as a capable commander with his forces inflicting defeats on
9430-408: The lowest poverty rates in Iraq and the stronger economy of the Kurdistan Region attracted around 20,000 workers from other parts of Iraq between 2003 and 2005. The number of millionaires in the city of Sulaymaniyah grew from 12 to 2,000 in 2003, reflecting the economic growth. According to some estimates, the debt of the Kurdish government reached $ 18 billion by January 2016. The economy of Kurdistan
9545-560: The ministerial decree necessary to implement it, expected in February 2009, was cancelled. As reported to the Centre for Islamic Pluralism by the non-governmental organization, called as Stop FGM in Kurdistan, the Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq, on 25 November, officially admitted the wide prevalence in the territory of female genital mutilation (FGM). Recognition by the KRG of the frequency of this custom among Kurds came during
9660-505: The other. Barzani however benefited from his agreement with Arif, which secured him funds and arms from Baghdad to assert his position. During the sixth congress of the KDP in Qala Dizeh in July 1964, Barzani moved against Talabani and Ahmad, tasking his son Idris with ejecting Talabani, Ahmad, and their supporters from the congress. The move was successful and saw Barzani's opposition flee into Iran, allowing him uncontested control of
9775-632: The politburo during the KDP's fourth Congress in October 1959, ending the KDP's cooperation with the ICP. While welcoming towards the break with the ICP, Ahmad however still held suspicions of Barzani and his policy for the party and remained critical of his leadership. Qasim in time became suspicious of Barzani, worried that his increasing power in Iraqi Kurdistan could allow him to become a potential source of opposition to his power in Iraq and possibly where foreign intelligence could instigate instability in Iraq. Qasim began to capitalize on tribal divisions in
9890-596: The president of the Republic Qazi Muhammad was hanged in public in the "Çuar Çira" square in Mahabad city along with his brother and a cousin, and a number of libraries containing Kurdish texts were burned. Barzani and his followers arrived in the Armenian SSR and were put in a camp near Nakhchevan . After appealing to the Soviet Union to help them, Barzani and his followers were transferred to
10005-480: The pumping of petroleum products through the Kirkuk–Ceyhan Oil Pipeline between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey to cease. The closure of the pipeline left much of the Kurdistan Region's petroleum output with no legal outlet, causing a rise in illegal smuggling of oil to Iran via tanker trucks. Due to the lack of a proper census , the exact population and demographics of Kurdistan Region are unknown, but
10120-493: The reducing of administrative and political corruption and to make policy recommendations. The government's policies for the public sector have also had an impact on the private sector. However, the government has played a much smaller role in the private sector. In Iraqi Kurdistan, the Ministry of Planning has primarily concentrated on activating training in the public sector, with the goal of expanding opportunities and improving
10235-401: The regime in Baghdad. Through much of 1973, Barzani began to rebuild and reorganize the Peshmerga in anticipation of another conflict with Baghdad. On 11 March 1974, the Ba'ath government passed the autonomy law which it presented to Barzani for approval. With Kirkuk not included and his faith in the Ba'ath for a genuine autonomy low, Barzani rejected the agreement. Joining his son Ubeydullah,
10350-418: The region are hills and plains, which make up the central and most southern parts of the region. Most of the precipitation there falls as rain or snow between November and April, annual precipitation ranges from about 375 to 724 mm. From ancient times this has made cultivation of winter crops (and vegetables and fruit in the summer) and the raising of livestock possible. Around 1,368,388 hectares (33%) of
10465-553: The region would plague Baghdad, tying up much of its forces during the Six Day War. In July 1968, the Ba'ath Party, supported by the army, overthrew the Arif government and assumed control of Iraq, returning Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr back to power. The Ba'ath realized the toll the military operations in Iraq were taking and signaled its willingness to settle the Kurdish issue peacefully. The Ba'ath initially hoped to seek an agreement with
10580-411: The region. In 2009 Human Rights Watch found that some health providers in Iraqi Kurdistan had been involved in both performing and promoting misinformation about the practice of female genital mutilation. Girls and women receive conflicting and inaccurate messages from media campaigns and medical personnel on its consequences. The Kurdistan parliament in 2008 passed a draft law outlawing the practice, but
10695-697: The region. The Iraqi Kurdish leadership fled to Iran in 1945. There, Mustafa Barzani founded the Kurdistan Democratic Party , and Iran and the Soviet Union began assisting the Kurdish rebels with arms. Israel began assisting the Kurdish rebels in the early 1960s. From 1961 to 1970, the Kurds fought the Iraqi government in the First Iraqi–Kurdish War , which resulted in the Iraqi–Kurdish Autonomy Agreement . But simultaneously with its promise of Kurdish autonomy,
10810-448: The rest of the country. And public opinion under the Kurdistan Regional Government demands rule-of-law-based governance. But power is concentrated in the hands of the ruling parties and families, who perpetuate a nondemocratic, sultanistic system. These dynamics could foster instability in Kurdistan and its neighborhood, but could also provide a rare window of opportunity for democratization. The Committee for implementing article 140 defines
10925-523: The revolt of Kurdish chiefs of Az Zibar against the British in Iraq. About a hundred fighters managed to ambush the British diplomat J.H.H. Bill and his company and the group was divided into two. Bill was killed with three others, while two local Kurdish tribesmen were spared. After the revolt resulted in a raid on Akre , the contingent of Barzani returned to their homeland. The British did not let such an attack on their authority unpunished and destroyed
11040-508: The semi-autonomous region. The National Association of Jews from Kurdistan in Israel stated there is a small number of expatriate Jews in the Kurdistan Region, but no Jews remaining from original Jewish communities. Widespread economic activity between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey has given the opportunity for Kurds in Turkey to seek jobs in the Kurdistan Region. A Kurdish newspaper based in
11155-463: The south is mostly steppe and would feature xeric plants such as palm trees , tamarix , date palm , fraxinus , poa , white wormwood and chenopodiaceae . Animals found in the region include the Syrian brown bear , wild boar , gray wolf , golden jackal , Indian crested porcupine , red fox , goitered gazelle , Eurasian otter , striped hyena , Persian fallow deer , onager , mangar and
11270-940: The southwest, with lows around 21 °C (70 °F) to 24 °C (75 °F). Winter is dramatically cooler than the rest of Iraq, with highs averaging between 9 °C (48 °F) and 11 °C (52 °F) and with lows hovering around 3 °C (37 °F) in some areas and freezing in others, dipping to −2 °C (28 °F) and 0 °C (32 °F) on average. Vegetation in the region includes Abies cilicica , Quercus calliprinos , Quercus brantii , Quercus infectoria , Quercus ithaburensis , Quercus macranthera , Cupressus sempervirens , Platanus orientalis , Pinus brutia , Juniperus foetidissima , Juniperus excelsa , Juniperus oxycedrus , Salix alba , Olea europaea , Ficus carica , Populus euphratica , Populus nigra , Crataegus monogyna , Crataegus azarolus , cherry plum , rose hips , pistachio trees , pear and Sorbus graeca . The desert in
11385-522: The two states over the Shatt al-Arab and other border disputes, with the US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger seeing it as necessary realpolitik to preserve stability in the Middle-East and close opportunities for the Soviet Union to exploit against Iran. The agreement stipulated that Iran end support for the peshmerga as well as no longer transporting supplies sent from other countries, which spelled
11500-536: The usual hierarchy of a kilil , or region. These woredas have many similarities to autonomous areas in other countries. Other areas that are autonomous in nature but not in name are areas designated for indigenous peoples , such as those of the Americas : Mustafa Barzani Mustafa Barzani ( Kurdish : مستهفا بارزانی , romanized : Mistefa Barzanî ; 14 March 1903 – 1 March 1979), also known as Mullah Mustafa (مەلا مستەفا; Mela Mistefa),
11615-565: The vacuum and the first Kurdish elections were consequently held in May 1992, wherein the Kurdistan Democratic Party secured 45.3% of the vote and a majority of seats. The two parties agreed to form the first Kurdish cabinet led by PUK politician Fuad Masum as Prime Minister in July 1992 and the main focus of the new cabinet was to mitigate the effect of the American-led sanctions on Iraq and to prevent internal Kurdish skirmishes. Nonetheless,
11730-466: The war against Iran. In 1983, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan agreed to cooperate with Baghdad, but the Kurdistan Democratic Party remained opposed. In 1983, Saddam Hussein signed an autonomy agreement with Jalal Talabani of the PUK, though Saddam later reneged on the agreement. By 1985, the PUK and KDP had joined forces, and Iraqi Kurdistan saw widespread guerrilla warfare up to the end of
11845-518: The war. On 15 March 1988, PUK forces captured the town of Halabja near the Iranian border and inflicted heavy losses among Iraqi soldiers. The Iraqis retaliated the following day by chemically bombing the town , killing about 5,000 civilians. This led the Americans and the Europeans to implement the Iraqi no-fly zones in March 1991 to protect the Kurds, thereby facilitating Kurdish autonomy amid
11960-521: The west. It does not govern all of Iraqi Kurdistan and lays claim to the disputed territories of northern Iraq ; these territories have a predominantly non-Arab population and were subject to the Ba'athist Arabization campaigns throughout the late 20th century. Though the KRI's autonomy was realized in 1992, one year after Iraq's defeat in the Gulf War , these northern territories remain contested between
12075-452: The year tensions between Barzani and Qasim grew. Qasim suspected Barzani of being a potential avenue for the British to frustrate his take over of Kuwait and increased arms to pro-government tribes to keep Barzani from becoming any stronger. On 11 September 1961, Iraqi planes began bombardments on the Kurdish region following an ambush on a military convoy, and on 24 September Qasim ordered the closure of KDP. The following December, Barzani and
12190-476: Was a Kurdish nationalist leader and one of the most prominent political figures in modern Kurdish politics. In 1946, he was chosen as the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) to lead the Kurdish revolt against the Kingdom of Iraq . Barzani was the primary political and military leader of the Kurdish separatist movement until his death in March 1979. He led campaigns of armed insurgency against both
12305-410: Was accepted four years later. The studies have shown that there is a trend of general decline of FGM. Autonomous administrative division An autonomous administrative division (also referred to as an autonomous area , zone , entity , unit , region , subdivision , province , or territory ) is a subnational administrative division or internal territory of a sovereign state that has
12420-521: Was also captured by Kurdish forces. However, the control was only temporary as Iraqi forces retook control over most of the disputed areas in October 2017, after the 2017 Kurdistan Region independence referendum . As of 2019, the Kurdistan Region and the Federal Government in Baghdad are negotiating joint control over the disputed areas as their relations have become more cordial in the aftermath of ISIL's defeat. The Kurdistan region of Iraq
12535-630: Was buried in Iranian Kurdistan in Oshnavieh after his body was flown back from the United States. In October 1993, Barzani's remains were brought across the border from Iran to Iraqi Kurdistan, to be reburied in his hometown of Barzan. His son, Massoud Barzani , was the leader of the KDP and was re-elected as the President of the Iraqi Kurdistan region with 66% of the popular vote in July 2009. A grandson, Nechirvan Barzani ,
12650-465: Was founded in 1975 by Jalal Talabani and regenerated the Kurdish insurgency with guerrilla warfare tactics as the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) was slowly recovering from their defeat. However, the Kurdish insurgency became entangled in the Iran–Iraq War from 1980 onwards. During the first years of the war in the early 1980s, the Iraqi government tried to accommodate the Kurds in order to focus on
12765-587: Was given to other Soviet citizens. Barzani would later meet with Soviet figures like Georgy Malenkov and Nikita Khrushchev in May 1953 after the death of Stalin to ensure that the Soviets would continue helping him and his followers. Shortly afterwards, Soviet officials moved Barzani to a residence in Moscow and enrolled him in the Party Higher School. Rumors also spread that Barzani was given
12880-488: Was included that Kurds and Arabs were partners of the same nation. Following, several Kurds were appointed into high military ranks and Barzani was invited to return to Iraq. In October 1958, Barzani and his followers returned from the Soviet Union, and Barzani quickly established warm ties with Qasim. Qasim hoped to use Barzani as a potential ally in the power struggles in Iraq, as Qasim faced considerable resistance from more nationalist minded Arab officers and intellectuals in
12995-459: Was inconclusive, with the government unable to make any significant gains against Barzani and his forces, which were receiving supplies through the Iranian border. The war was further complicated by the winter, which played into the Peshmerga's advantage. The government again utilized divisions among the Kurds in the region, and had begun supporting the Talabani-Ahmad faction of the KDP who entered into hostilities with Barzani and his supporters. Before
13110-481: Was separated from his followers, prompting them to engage in sit-ins and strikes demanding they be reunited and their cause recognized. Barzani sent numerous letters to Moscow, addressing them to Joseph Stalin himself, requesting that he and his followers be treated better and reunited. Only one of these letters reached the Kremlin and shortly afterwards in March 1951, Soviet officials began investigations to address
13225-555: Was the founder of Gorran, who took advantage of sentiments among many PUK politicians critical of the cooperation with the KDP. Gorran would subsequently win 25 seats (or 23.7% of the votes) in the 2009 parliamentary elections to the detriment of the Kurdistan List . In the aftermath of the elections, Gorran failed at its attempts to persuade the Kurdistan Islamic Group and Kurdistan Islamic Union to leave
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