Governor of Kirkuk: Iraqi soldiers have withdrawn from Newroz neighborhood

As of yesterday, Kirkuk’s Newroz Neighborhood had been placed under siege by Iraqi soldiers. The soldiers raided the homes of some Kurdish residents and forcibly removed them from their houses.

This morning, Iraqi army forces entered the neighborhood, predominantly inhabited by Kurds, and some residents were subjected to torture. Kirkuk Governor Rêbwar Teha visited the neighborhood and said the following in a press statement:

“These houses are state property and do not belong to any individual. After the fall of the Baath regime, people settled in these houses. In recent days, some army officers came and removed a family from their home. We have now come here, returned that family to their home, and taken the other houses under control. From now on, all properties will be under the administration of the Kirkuk Governorate, and we as the governorate will manage them.”

Rêbwar Teha added that the solution to the issue is the complete withdrawal of the army from the area: “The army must withdraw completely from here and must not remain in the area. Homeowners should return to their houses. The administration of the houses will be under our authority. If any officer has engaged in misconduct, an investigation will be initiated.”