Kurdish representation in Kirkuk’s security leadership remains a major concern, according to Iraqi MP Shakhawan Abdullah, who said no Kurdish official heads a security agency in the governorate.
Abdullah made the remarks during a press conference following a visit to Kirkuk by a delegation from the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) parliamentary faction in the Iraqi Council of Representatives. The delegation met to assess the city’s challenges, including security, disputed agricultural lands and administrative appointments.
“From the Operations Command all the way down, not a single Kurd heads a security agency,” Abdullah said, describing the situation as unjust.
He said the KDP’s representation in the Iraqi parliament and its membership in key committees, including those responsible for oil, finance, higher education, agriculture and trade, could help the party address Kirkuk’s problems.
Abdullah also raised concerns over reports of agricultural land being taken from farmers and used for investment projects. He said the practice contradicted the principles of Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution, which addresses the status of disputed territories.
According to Abdullah, the KDP delegation had sent an official letter to the Iraqi prime minister requesting a halt to investment projects involving the disputed lands. He acknowledged that some Kurds were also involved in the projects and said the party intended to take action to stop them. He added that he planned to meet with the Kirkuk Operations Commander to discuss the issue.
Security in Kirkuk and other disputed territories outside the Kurdistan Region’s administration was another major concern raised by the delegation. Abdullah said terrorist activity had increased amid the security vacuum following the withdrawal of Peshmerga forces from these areas. He warned that the problem extended beyond Kirkuk toward the Sinjar area.
Abdullah called for stronger coordination between Iraqi security forces and the Peshmerga, saying joint operations were necessary even if a permanent joint force could not be stationed in the disputed territories. He also said the return of Peshmerga forces should be considered as a way to address security gaps.
He pointed to a 3,777-member joint force established and deployed to the Sargaran district in 2024, adding that a regiment had also been planned for deployment near Pirde, known in Arabic as Altun Kupri.
On Kirkuk’s administration, Abdullah said the selection of the governor and other officials should reflect the will of the city’s residents. He expressed hope that administrative changes would take place in the near future if the wishes of Kirkuk’s people were respected in decisions concerning the governor and provincial council.
The comments highlight continuing disagreements over security representation, agricultural land and political administration in Kirkuk, a disputed governorate whose status and governance remain sensitive issues between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region.
