The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) is set to return to the disputed town of Tuz Khurmatu in Salahaddin province, nearly seven years after withdrawing from the area following the Kurdistan Region's 2017 independence referendum, a provincial official has confirmed.

Kawa Sheikhani, security advisor to the governor of Salahaddin, announced that the KDP plans to reopen its regional office in Tuz Khurmatu within the month. This move marks the party’s return to the district, which has been the site of tension since Iraqi forces retook control of Kurdish-held areas in the aftermath of the referendum.

Salahaddin Governor Badr al-Fahl is expected to visit Tuz Khurmatu soon to assess the situation and address the ongoing challenges faced by the Kurdish community in the region.

The decision follows a meeting on Sunday between KDP leader Masoud Barzani and a delegation from Salahaddin, including Fahl and Sheikhani. During the meeting in Erbil, discussions focused on the general situation in Iraq, the conditions of citizens in central provinces, and fostering coordination between Salahaddin and the Kurdistan Region. Barzani also urged Governor Fahl to ensure equal treatment for all communities in the province, which is home to Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen.

The KDP and Kurdish Peshmerga forces, along with many Kurdish residents, vacated Tuz Khurmatu when Iraqi forces expelled Kurdish security forces in the wake of the 2017 referendum. The town remains a disputed area with a complex demographic and political landscape.

In late 2023, the KDP also reopened its offices in Kirkuk, another disputed city rich in oil, despite opposition from pro-Iran Shiite militia groups. Currently, the Kurds have only one representative on the 15-member Salahaddin provincial council, Yassin Dawoodi from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).