Shafaq News- Halabja

Authorities in Halabja announced Sunday that public ceremonies marking the 38th anniversary of the chemical attack on the city have been cancelled due to ongoing regional tensions.

Governor Nokhsha Nasih said in a statement that no public events will be held this year to commemorate the tragedy. Instead, the observance will be limited to laying a wreath on behalf of the city’s residents and victims’ families and holding a moment of silence in memory of those killed.

Residents of Halabja traditionally mark the anniversary on March 16, recalling the 1988 chemical attack carried out under the rule of Saddam Hussein, which killed thousands of civilians during the final phase of the Iran–Iraq war.

Read more: Decades after Halabja chemical attack, fate of 400 Iraqi children remains unclear