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Kurdish Youth Attacked by Non-Indigenous Arabs in Kirkuk Amid Ongoing Land Disputes

Kurdish Youth Attacked by Non-Indigenous Arabs in Kirkuk Amid Ongoing Land Disputes

In a disturbing incident highlighting the ongoing land disputes in the region, a Kurdish youth was brutally assaulted by non-indigenous Arabs in Nadrawa village, located in the south of the disputed Kurdish province of Kirkuk. The attack occurred on Tuesday and has escalated tensions between the local Kurdish community and Arab settlers.

Dana Ahmad, the victim, recounted the harrowing experience, stating that the attackers used an iron pipe to break his head, leaving him bleeding on the ground before shooting him. Ahmad's relatives intervened in time to rescue him, according to a report by Kurdistan 24.

The attackers reportedly brought sheep and cattle onto the disputed land, asserting that Kurds have no rightful ownership of the area. This incident is part of a larger pattern of aggression by non-indigenous Arabs against Kurdish farmers in Kirkuk province, despite ongoing efforts to resolve these land disputes.

Ahmad’s father expressed his distress and called for immediate assistance. "Help us, non-indigenous Arabs are oppressing us," he said, emphasizing the urgent need to address the Kurdish plight in the disputed territories. He further explained that the Arabs believe the Kurds have no legitimate claim to the land and are acting aggressively based on that belief.

Dana’s grandmother also voiced her concerns, highlighting that the attackers are occupying a Peshmerga house in the Palkana area and have been residing there for some time. "They are threatening us. We have our own land and they say we must leave here, but we will never leave," she asserted.

Since the events of October 2017, the relationship between Kurdish farmers and the Iraqi army has significantly deteriorated. Kurdish farmers frequently face challenges in their agricultural activities, with accusations that non-local Arabs are intentionally burning their fields before harvest, further exacerbating the conflict.

This incident underscores the urgent need for a resolution to the land disputes in Kirkuk, as continued aggression threatens the stability and safety of the region's Kurdish population.

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