Erbil: The head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party's parliamentary bloc, Shakhwan Abdullah, commemorated the genocide perpetrated against the Barzani people. In a statement, he said, "Yesterday marked the 43rd anniversary of one of the darkest chapters in the history of the injustice and oppression suffered by our people. On July 31, 1983, eight thousand innocent men and youth from Barzan were forcibly deported to the deserts of southern Iraq simply for being Kurds and upholding their national dignity, where they were subjected to genocide in its most horrific form." According to National Iraqi News Agency, Abdullah further explained that the crime was not limited to a specific region but was part of a broader chauvinistic plan by the former regime. This plan began with crimes against the Faili Kurds, continued with the Anfal campaigns in Garmian and Badinan, and culminated in the chemical weapons attack on Halabja. These actions aimed to break the legitimate will of the people of Kurdistan. Despite this, the will of the people of Kurdistan proved stronger than all forms of injustice, and the banner of freedom for the nation remains flying high. On this painful anniversary, Abdullah emphasized the constitutional and legal rights of the families of the martyrs. He stressed that compensating those affected by these crimes, both materially and morally, is a legal and ethical obligation of the Iraqi state that cannot be ignored. He also paid tribute to the steadfastness of the mothers and women of Barzani, who, despite the absence of their loved ones, raised a generation with unwavering faith in their homeland. Abdullah concluded by expressing hope for mercy and eternal remembrance for the martyrs of the Anfal campaign, the Barzani martyrs, and all those who have died on the path to the freedom of Kurdistan.