پەرلەمانی کوردستان
March 16, 2026
On the 38th anniversary of the chemical attack on Halabja, we honor the innocent martyrs of the tragedy inflicted by the Iraqi regime upon the people of Kurdistan on March 16, 1988, a wound that continues to remain open for our nation. We pay our respects to the souls of the martyrs of Halabja and all of Kurdistan. We pay tribute to their proud families and all the victims.
The events in Halabja represented not merely an effort to physically eradicate the Kurdish people, but also constituted a crime against humanity and a savage assault on the aspirations of a people who sought only life and liberty. Halabja will persist as a poignant reminder in the annals of history, serving as a testament to the world’s conscience, enabling humanity to draw lessons from it and to avert the recurrence of any form of genocide, in any part of the globe.
On this occasion, we emphasize the responsibilities of the Iraqi Federal Government regarding Halabja and its victims. In line with the decisions of the Iraqi High Tribunal, which designated the chemical attack on Halabja as genocide, it is imperative to provide compensation to the victims to guarantee that justice is achieved. The victims of this tragedy must be afforded the highest standard of services and care within the Kurdistan Region.
Currently, as the region faces a perilous state of war, we all bear a significant national responsibility to safeguard the Kurdistan Region. Unity is the sole means to maintain our accomplishments and confront the obstacles ahead. All of us are indebted to the sacrifices of the martyrs, and the highest form of loyalty to their memory is to work together to eliminate the threats to Kurdistan and its people.
Despite the numerous difficulties and challenges, we remain optimistic about a brighter future for the people of Kurdistan, and we are confident that their future is promising. May peace be upon the souls of the martyrs of Halabja and all the fallen heroes of Kurdistan.
Nechirvan Barzani
President of the Kurdistan Region
