Iraqi Turkmen Front alleges manipulation of Kirkuk census to alter demographics

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, the Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) claimed clear violations in the population census process in Kirkuk province.

In a statement, the ITF said, "Several families, who are not original residents of the province, were observed entering openly and in front of public opinion and security forces."

These violations represent an unjustifiable effort to “alter the reality” on the ground, posing “a direct threat to Kirkuk's identity and the historical coexistence of its communities," the statement stressed.

The statement further declared, "We will not stand idly by in the face of any attempts to alter the demographic reality in Kirkuk," holding "the federal government fully responsible for any demographic changes resulting from these violations."

The front also urged the federal government to take immediate and firm steps to protect the fairness of the census and ensure the right of the original components of Kirkuk to preserve their demographic uniqueness.

Iraq is set to conduct its first national census in over 27 years on November 20-21, 2024. The last comprehensive census was held in 1987, with a partial count in 1997 that excluded the Kurdistan Region. Since then, the country has relied on estimates from unofficial research institutes and organizations.

Delays in conducting a new census stemmed from fears of politicization, particularly in disputed areas like Kirkuk, where ethnic tensions between Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen are heightened by its significant oil resources. Concerns persist that the census could alter the balance of power by revealing demographic realities.