In the Sargaran sub-district of Kirkuk province, Kurdish farmers are rallying against a recent prohibition by the Iraqi army, which has halted their wheat and barley harvesting activities. Mohammed Ismail, a spokesperson for the farmers in Sargaran, strongly criticized the directive issued by the commander of the eighth division of the Iraqi army, labeling it as "chauvinistic" and unjustifiable.

The farmers are alarmed by the military's warnings of punitive actions against those who defy the ban. Ismail has voiced concerns over potential repercussions for the farming community and has called upon Kurdish representatives in the Iraqi parliament, particularly Deputy Speaker Shakhawan Abdullah, to intervene and revoke the decree.

The decision has stirred widespread discontent among the Kurdish farmers, who argue that there is no valid reason to prevent them from harvesting in Sargaran, especially in light of recent court decisions canceling contracts held by imported Arab settlers. Ismail highlighted the significance of this court ruling, which could potentially resolve a significant portion of the ongoing land disputes in Kirkuk province, affecting approximately 1.1 million dunams of disputed land.

The annulment of Decision No. 29 of 1975, which pertained to northern affairs, by the Iraqi Ministry of Justice in 2012 plays a critical role in this context. This annulment directed the reversal of decisions made by the Northern Affairs Committee, placing pressure on courts and the Kirkuk cadastral office to restore an additional 900,000 dunams of land to Kurdish and Turkmen farmers.

In response to the ban on crop harvesting, Kurdish farmers are planning a demonstration on Monday, April 29, 2024, should the prohibition not be lifted. The situation underscores ongoing tensions and disputes over land ownership and agricultural practices in Kirkuk province, highlighting the complex political and historical dynamics at play in the region.