Masoud Barzani asserts unyielding stance on Kirkuk's identity amid unrest

Shafaq News/ Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani on Monday reiterated his unyielding stance on the identity of Kirkuk, deeming it a symbol for every Kurd, despite the current tumultuous situation prevailing in the city.

Those remarks came during a meeting with the families of the victims of recent bloody events in Kirkuk earlier today, a press release by the Barzani headquarters said.

During the meeting held in the Saladin resort near Erbil, Barzani conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims, affirming that "the blood of these beloved individuals will not be in vain, and that the perpetrators must be brought to justice according to the law."

Barzani highlighted that "the blood of the martyrs and their voices of protest have sent a clear message to everyone that the Kurds are a living and conscious people." He called for an end to the injustice and oppression that the Kurdish citizens are enduring in Kirkuk, emphasizing that the current anomalous situation in the city does not imply a relinquishment of its identity, given the city's emblematic status for every Kurd.

Barzani said Kirkuk is "a home for all" and a "model of coexistence, brotherhood, and tolerance." Barzani advocated for a resolution to the ongoing differences not through unilateralism, force, and violence, but through the language of reason and logic.

Addressing the deeply entrenched pain and suffering of the Kurdish citizens in Kirkuk, he urged to "prevent irresponsible attempts aiming to turn the disputes between political forces into a national conflict and disagreement among the components in Kirkuk."