Shafaq News / Shakhwan Abdullah, a leader in the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, announced on Sunday the party's decision to reopen its offices in the disputed province of Kirkuk, which has been a source of contention between Erbil and Baghdad. This decision comes after a six-year closure following the 2017 Kurdistan Region independence referendum.

Abdullah expressed his gratitude to Kurdish leader and President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Masoud Barzani, for donating the former party leadership council building in Kirkuk to Kirkuk University as a gift for the city's students.

He also appreciated Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani for his commitment to the political agreement that stipulates the Democratic Party's return to Kirkuk and the reopening of its offices.

Abdullah stated that there would be further steps in the coming days to officially open the Kurdistan Democratic Party's offices for political activities in Kirkuk. The party's decision to donate its former leadership council building to Kirkuk University was part of an agreement made in October last year.

Kirkuk, home to Kurds, Turkmen, Arabs, and Christians, has been a major disputed territory between Baghdad and Erbil. The Federal Operations Command was stationed at the party's headquarters in Kirkuk after the security operations in October 2017. The current Iraqi government planned to evacuate and return the premises to the Kurdistan Democratic Party, but Arab and Turkmen protesters opposed the move.

The issue of the Kurdistan Democratic Party regaining its offices in Kirkuk and the implementation of Article 140, which addresses demographic changes made by Saddam Hussein's regime in disputed areas, is part of the Coalition of State Administration's agreement.

This coalition, formed in September 2023, includes Shia political forces (excluding the Sadrists), Sunni forces represented by the "Determination" and "Sovereignty" alliances, along with the two Kurdish parties, the Democratic Party, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, and the Babylon Movement representing Christians.

Article 140 aims to reverse demographic policies favoring Arabs over Kurds in disputed areas, followed by a population census and a referendum allowing residents to choose between joining the Kurdistan Region or remaining under Baghdad's administration. The implementation of this article was supposed to be completed by the end of 2007, but security and political challenges hindered its progress. The Federal Supreme Court ruled in 2019 to uphold the continuation of Article 140 until its requirements are fulfilled and its objectives are achieved.