Leader Barzani meets US diplomat, condemns Kirkuk attack

Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani met with US Chargé d'Affaires to Iraq Daniel Rubinstein in Saladin Headquarters in Erbil.

According to Barzani’s media office, the meeting addressed “political and security developments in Iraq and Syria, as well as recent tensions in Kirkuk.” Both parties also discussed the outcome of the Imrali delegation’s visit to the Kurdistan Region and Barzani’s talks with Mazloum Abdi, Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Barzani raised concerns over what he described as “offensive and inappropriate actions” against Kurdish farmers in Kirkuk by Iraqi army personnel. He said the incident reflected a “chauvinistic mentality” and evoked “painful memories of genocide against the Kurdish people,” urging the Iraqi government to uphold the constitution and work on the basis of “partnership, balance, and consensus.”

The comments follow an incident on Monday in the Dibis district of Kirkuk, where Kurdish farmers in Shanaga and nearby villages attempted to cultivate lands legally restored to them after the Iraqi Parliament approved the Property Restitution Law, but army forces allegedly prevented them from doing so, leading to the confrontation.

The move prompted widespread condemnation, leading Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to form a high-level investigation committee and instruct the Deputy Minister of Justice to visit Kirkuk to oversee legal procedures.