"Unusual killings" plague Kurdistan
Shafaq News/ Kurdistan’s Interior Minister, Rebar Ahmed, voiced concern on Thursday over a surge in violent incidents across the Region.
Speaking at a press conference following a meeting with the Kurdistan High Council of Women, Ahmed described the rise in violence as alarming, citing "unusual and unwelcome killings." While emphasizing Kurdistan’s historically peaceful nature, he attributed the recent escalation to external cultural influences blending with local traditions.
“Kurdistan’s people are peaceful by nature, but some external influences have contributed to the rise in violence,” he said.
While comprehensive statistics on gender-based violence remain unavailable, government figures indicate at least 30 women were killed in 2023 and 44 in 2022. NGO workers told Amnesty International Law that the actual numbers are likely much higher. In 2022, the DCVAW recorded 15,896 domestic violence complaints, but official data for 2023 and 2024 has yet to be released.
A report by the Kurdistan Men's Union (KMU) underscores the growing crisis, documenting 342 cases of violence since the beginning of 2024, including 31 suicides and 11 murders linked to family disputes. In February alone, 61 complaints were filed, alongside three suicides and four murders.
The mounting violence has sparked public outcry. On Tuesday, dozens of women gathered outside Erbil Citadel, demanding justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators.
Amnesty International, in a report published last year, criticized authorities in the Kurdistan Region for failing to hold perpetrators of domestic violence accountable, citing cases of murder, rape, beatings, and burning. The organization also condemned restrictions imposed on survivors seeking protection in shelters.
