Iraq’s Speaker: Anfal massacre against Barzanis is unforgivable crime

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani condemned the mass killing of Barzanis during the Anfal campaign, describing it as one of the most horrific atrocities in Iraq’s modern history.

In an official statement marking the anniversary of the campaign, al-Mashhadani extended condolences to the Barzani family, Kurdish leadership, and the broader Kurdish population, calling the massacre a “moral outrage” and “unforgivable crime.”

“We recall with deep sorrow and pain the unjust aggression committed against innocent Barzanis during the Anfal operations,” al-Mashhadani stated, emphasizing that the campaign—which involved mass killings, forced displacement, and attempts to erase the identity of the Kurdish Barzanis—occurred at a time when human conscience was absent or silenced.

He reiterated that the Iraqi parliament stands firmly committed to justice and human rights and bears a continued responsibility to support all victims and prevent such tragedies from recurring.

“The blood of the innocent will not be in vain, and history will not forgive those who stood idle in the face of such crimes. Equating victim and executioner is a betrayal of human values.”