Draft:Kurdification campaigns in Northern Iraq

• Comment: While displacements by Kurdish armed organizations is an observed thing, this draft is written in a WP:COATRACK fashion and fails to clearly source any sort of definition for what this article is specifically about Pbritti (talk) 04:48, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

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Kurdification campaigns in Northern Iraq
Part of Kurdistan Region, Iraqi–Kurdish conflict, Disputed territories of Northern Iraq
Map showing the present-day Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the disputed territories.
Location	Northern Iraq
Date	2003 – present
Target	Mainly Iraqi Arabs, but also Iraqi Turkmen, Assyrians, Yazidis
Attack type	Demographic engineering, Forced displacement, Ethnic tensions
Deaths	Unknown
Victims	90,000+ and 1,200 families forcibly evicted
Perpetrator	Kurdistan regional Government

Between 2003 and the present, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has been accused of carrying out Kurdification campaigns in northern Iraq, particularly in disputed areas like Kirkuk and Nineveh. The KRG sought to change the region’s ethnic makeup by displacing Arabs, Assyrians, and other minorities while settling Kurds in these areas. These actions included forced evictions, violence, and the destruction of villages. Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced, and tensions over these policies continue to cause conflict in the region.

Background

The Kurdish issue in northern Iraq has deep historical roots. After Saddam Hussein's fall in 2003, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) expanded control beyond its autonomous region into disputed territories like Kirkuk and Nineveh, areas with mixed Arab, Turkmen and Kurdish populations.

Key Phases of the Kurdification Campaigns

2003–2005: Post-Saddam Reshuffling

Kurdish Peshmerga forces moved into Kirkuk and other areas, encouraging Kurdish resettlement while Arab residents left. The KRG solidified control through demographic changes and Kurdish language policies.

2005–2013: Consolidation of Kurdish Control

With the passage of Iraq’s new constitution in 2005, which granted significant autonomy to the Kurdish Regional Government, Kurdish forces continued to solidify their control over disputed areas. In Kirkuk, Kurdish authorities actively sought to increase the Kurdish population by encouraging resettlement and pressuring Arab residents to leave. Kurdish language became the dominant language in public life, and Kurdish institutions were established in the region. The Kurdish flag was raised in several areas, further reinforcing Kurdish territorial claims [6].

2014–2017: ISIS and Kurdish Expansion

Kurdish forces expanded territory during the ISIS conflict, accelerating demographic changes.

Impact

An estimated 200,000-500,000 Arabs and Turkmen were displaced from disputed areas. International organizations documented cases of home demolitions and forced displacement.

Kurdish Policy and International Reactions

The Kurdish policies in the disputed territories have drawn significant international attention. Kurdish leaders defend these actions as a means of reclaiming historically Kurdish lands and protecting Kurdish identity. However, many in Iraq and abroad view these policies as demographic engineering, aimed at permanently altering the ethnic composition of the disputed territories. The central Iraqi government in Baghdad has consistently opposed Kurdish territorial expansion, while international organizations, such as the United Nations, have raised concerns about the treatment of minorities and the protection of their rights in these areas [12].