Barzani ahead of elections: Kurdistan was built on sacrifice, not a gift from anyone
Shafaq News/ The leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Masoud Barzani, on Wednesday said that the Kurdistan Region of Iraq was established through the sacrifices of Kurdish Peshmerga forces and the hardships endured by the Kurdish people, not granted by external powers, urging for a peaceful and violence-free election campaign ahead of the region’s parliamentary elections.
“The establishment of the Kurdistan Region was not a favor from anyone but the result of the blood of martyrs, victims of the Anfal campaign, and the sacrifices of the Peshmerga, along with the suffering of Kurdistan’s people,” Barzani said during a ceremony marking the start of KDP’s election campaign.
He thanked the people of Kurdistan for their resilience in the face of external conspiracies, including those backed by internal actors. “I thank the people of Kurdistan for standing firm and supporting us against these external plots, abetted by some from within who sought to weaken the Kurdistan Region,” he said.
“I urge candidates to run calm, violence-free campaigns, avoid making unattainable promises, and refrain from engaging in inflammatory rhetoric,” he added.
Barzani noted progress in relations between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. “There is a positive understanding with Prime Minister al-Sudani, and the KRG is working hard to resolve the outstanding issues,” he said. “Unfortunately, we’ve heard chauvinists saying that the Peshmerga shouldn’t be armed, criticizing even the delivery of a few artillery pieces. My answer to them is that the Peshmerga is sacred to us—its legacy built on the blood of martyrs and the tears of their mothers,” he said. “The Peshmerga has always defended Kurdistan with sheer will, even though its weaponry was never equal to that of its foes.”
“The Peshmerga is a disciplined force that follows orders and has never been, nor will it be, a danger to anyone. The real threat comes from the remaining chauvinist mindset, which is dangerous to Iraq, the region, and the Kurdistan Region,” Barzani concluded.
