ERBIL — Every year on 17 December, people in Kurdistan decorate the public places with Kurdistan’s flag, organize ceremonies and sing the Kurdistan anthem to mark the Flag Day.

Last year, however, the Kurdistan Flag Day was banned in Kirkuk as a few months prior to that the Iraqi army and Iranian-backed Shi’ite militias had taken control of the Kurdish province by force.

This year, the Kurds in Kirkuk, Khanaqin and other disputed Kurdish territories are determined to mark the Flag Day despite restrictions and tightened security measures.

BasNews has learned that schools of Kurdish programme in Kirkuk have organized special events today. Also, students of Kirkuk University have also reportedly organized ceremonies.

Photographs shared on social media show Kurds raising Kurdistan flag on their homes in Kirkuk.

The Kurdistan flag is colored with red, white, green, and yellow. The red bar on the top symbolizes the blood of the martyrs and the continued struggle for freedom and dignity. The white bar in the center stands for peace and equality. The green represents the beauty and landscapes of Kurdistan, life and vitality.

Also, the golden sun with 21 rays in the center, colored yellow, represents the source of life and light of the people. The sun is an ancient symbol and twenty one sunbeams represent March 21, the Kurdish New Year.

Bas News