Anfal campaign

Anfal campaign. The Anfal campaign was a genocide conducted by the Iraqi Army against the Kurdish people in Iraqi Kurdistan, led by Ali Hassan al-Majid, a cousin of Saddam Hussein. This campaign was part of a larger Iran-Iraq War and involved the use of chemical warfare, including mustard gas and nerve agents, which were supplied by West Germany and United States. The campaign was supported by Egyptian and Jordanian intelligence services, and was facilitated by the CIA and MI6.

Introduction

The Anfal campaign was a series of attacks on Kurdish villages and towns, including Halabja, Sulaymaniyah, and Erbil, which were carried out by the Iraqi Air Force and Republican Guard (Iraq). The campaign was characterized by the use of aerial bombing, artillery attacks, and ground assaults by Iraqi Army troops, who were supported by Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Syrian Army units. The United Nations and European Union condemned the campaign, and it was widely criticized by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. The campaign was also opposed by Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, who were supported by Turkey and Israel.

Background

The Anfal campaign was part of a larger conflict between the Iraqi government and the Kurdish people, who had been seeking autonomy and independence for decades. The campaign was also influenced by the Cold War, with the Soviet Union and United States providing support to different sides in the conflict. The Iran-Iraq War had created a power vacuum in the region, which was exploited by the Kurdish nationalist movement, led by Jalal Talabani and Massoud Barzani. The Iraqi government responded to this movement with force, using torture, forced displacement, and mass killings to suppress the Kurdish insurgency.

The Campaign

The Anfal campaign began on February 23, 1988, with a series of attacks on Kurdish villages in the Sulaymaniyah Governorate. The campaign was led by Ali Hassan al-Majid, who was known as "Chemical Ali" for his use of chemical warfare. The campaign involved the use of aerial bombing, artillery attacks, and ground assaults by Iraqi Army troops, who were supported by Republican Guard (Iraq) and Iraqi Air Force units. The campaign also involved the use of deportation and forced displacement, with hundreds of thousands of Kurdish people being forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in Turkey and Iran. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and International Committee of the Red Cross provided assistance to these refugees, who were also supported by NGOs such as Oxfam and Save the Children.

Chemical Attacks

The Anfal campaign involved the use of chemical warfare, including mustard gas and nerve agents, which were supplied by West Germany and United States. The most notorious chemical attack occurred on March 16, 1988, when the town of Halabja was bombed with mustard gas and nerve agents, killing an estimated 5,000 people. The attack was widely condemned by the international community, including the United Nations Security Council and the European Parliament. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the International Court of Justice also condemned the attack, and called for those responsible to be held accountable. The Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi government have both acknowledged the use of chemical warfare during the campaign, and have apologized for the harm caused to the Kurdish people.

Aftermath

The Anfal campaign ended on September 6, 1988, with the signing of a ceasefire agreement between the Iraqi government and the Kurdish nationalist movement. The campaign had a devastating impact on the Kurdish people, with an estimated 50,000 to 100,000 people killed and hundreds of thousands displaced. The campaign also had a significant impact on the environment, with the use of chemical warfare causing widespread pollution and ecological damage. The United Nations Environment Programme and the World Health Organization have both reported on the environmental and health impacts of the campaign, and have called for further research and assistance to be provided to the affected communities. The Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi government have both established commissions of inquiry to investigate the campaign and provide compensation to the victims.

Legacy

The Anfal campaign is widely regarded as a genocide and a crime against humanity, and has been recognized as such by the United Nations and the European Union. The campaign has also been the subject of several war crimes trials, including the trial of Saddam Hussein and Ali Hassan al-Majid. The Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi government have both acknowledged the campaign as a genocide and have apologized for the harm caused to the Kurdish people. The campaign has also been commemorated by the Kurdish people and the international community, with memorials and museums being established to remember the victims and honor their memory. The Halabja Memorial and the Kurdish Museum are two examples of these memorials, which have been supported by UNESCO and the European Commission. Category:Genocides