ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kirkuk Governor Rebwar Taha said Sunday that the Iraqi army will “completely” withdraw from the disputed Newroz neighborhood after pre-dawn raids on Kurdish homes sparked outrage and renewed tensions over disputed properties in the multi-ethnic city.
Taha’s announcement came during a visit to the neighborhood on Sunday, hours after Iraqi army forces raided five Kurdish homes and forcibly expelled the families, claiming the properties were built on military-owned land.
“Under the previous administration, five families were evicted from their homes, and the Iraqi army moved into them. For several days now, a number of army officers have had their eyes on these houses and evicted one family,” Taha said during a press conference.
According to residents, troops entered the Newroz neighborhood in southern Kirkuk in the early hours of Sunday. The area is home to Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmens. According to Rudaw’s reporter on the ground, only Kurdish homes have been targeted so far.
Shawkat, one of the expelled residents, said he had left home for the pre-dawn meal of Ramadan and returned to find soldiers inside his house.
“When I sat in the house and refused to leave, they used force to remove me. They claim the land belongs to them and refused to show any [court] ruling [authorizing the raid],” he said, adding around 15 soldiers were present.
The governor said he personally intervened to resolve the situation and restore the family to their home. “I have come here now; I have brought the family back into the house, and the keys to the home are now in their own hands,” Taha said.
He added that an agreement had been reached with the military leadership for a full withdrawal from the neighborhood. “There are only two houses that still have pending issues, which I will resolve personally as governor,” he said.