Following a directive from Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, the defense ministry has been instructed to withdraw its forces from Kirkuk's Newroz neighborhood, putting an end to the evacuation order issued a day earlier. The decision comes after residents, predominantly Kurds, were informed by the Iraqi army to vacate their homes, raising concerns that the neighborhood would be repurposed as a military base.

The Iraqi army, citing ownership by the defense ministry, began notifying the 172 families residing in the 122 houses of the Newroz neighborhood to evacuate on Tuesday. Fears of forced displacement and the transformation of the area into a military facility prompted a swift response from Iraqi authorities.

Shakhawan Abdullah, the second deputy speaker of the Iraqi parliament, released a statement confirming his communication with Prime Minister al-Sudani. Abdullah conveyed that the Prime Minister directed the defense ministry to withdraw from the Newroz neighborhood and emphasized that civilians should not be compelled to leave their homes.

Addressing concerns raised by the affected families, Abdullah also reassured that Major General Jabbar Naima, the commander of Kirkuk Operations, affirmed his commitment to implementing the Prime Minister's order.

The Newroz neighborhood, initially occupied by members of Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath party, saw Kurdish families return to their homes after the fall of the regime. A decree issued by the former Kirkuk provincial council granted these families the right to remain until compensation from the federal government was provided.

Residents have reported recurrent attempts to force them out since October 16, 2017. Additionally, last May, the Commander of the Iraqi army's 11th Division sought to repurpose land in several villages south of Kirkuk for military bases and residential units, facing opposition from Kurdish and Turkmen farmers.

Kirkuk, a city with a diverse population of Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, and an Assyrian minority, has been a focal point of tension since the withdrawal of Iraqi forces in 2014. The region was under joint administration until October 16, 2017, when Iraqi forces regained control, leading to the expulsion of Peshmerga forces after Kirkuk participated in the Kurdistan Region's independence referendum.