On the anniversary of 31 August 1996, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) has accused the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of betrayal, citing newly uncovered CIA documents that describe the KDP’s actions on that day as a betrayal of the Kurdish people. The documents uncovered by researcher Shinyar Anwar reveal that the KDP brought Iraqi Ba’athist troops into Erbil (Hewlêr), the Kurdish capital, under false pretences, calling it “treachery by Kurds against their own people.”
Shinyar Anwar explained, “August 31 is seen as a betrayal by the Kurds and a breach of the Security Council resolution by the international community,” referring to Security Council Resolution 688, which was supposed to establish a “safe zone” for the Kurds in northern Iraq. She referred to records from the CIA and from former US President Bill Clinton, which show that the KDP sought US help while also facilitating the return of Saddam Hussein’s Ba’athist forces to Baghdad. The documents also describe killings, looting and kidnappings in Erbil, with many people still missing.
The PUK’s condemnation has been echoed by other Kurdish leaders. Rozhan Shahid Hama Rash, a former MP in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), called it “an unmatched act of treachery,” accusing the KDP of allowing Ba’athist troops to seize control of Erbil. “Following this enormous act of treachery, rather than apologising and reflecting, the KDP continues to arrogantly celebrate this betrayal for the benefit of narrow party interests,” she said.
The KDP, one of the major political parties in Iraqi Kurdistan, has not yet responded to these accusations. Sherzad Shekhani, a journalist from Erbil, urged the PUK to “remove the corrupt from power” with the support of the Kurdish people, rather than “relying on the military forces of the enemies of the Kurds and Kurdistan,” warning that “a heinous defeat awaits the KDP, greater than what happened in Kirkuk and Nineveh”.
The anniversary coincides with broader discussions about Kurdish unity and leadership, especially ahead of KRI elections set for 20 October, with the KDP facing criticism over its ties to Turkey. Political analyst Adil Osman warns that public anger over the KDP’s cooperation with Turkey could lead to significant losses for the party. “The people are furious with the KDP for its alliance with Turkey, and this anger could manifest at the ballot box,” Osman said. He noted that the party’s perceived complicity in Turkey’s military activities in northern Iraq has created a volatile political climate.
The writer Loqman Radpey highlights Turkey’s increased military presence in Iraqi Kurdistan following the breakdown of peace talks with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in 2015. “Turkey has established numerous bases more than 35 kilometres deep into Southern [Iraqi] Kurdistan, ostensibly to combat PKK guerrillas,” Radpey explained. He added that Turkey’s use of drone technology has extended its military reach over 290 kilometres into Kurdish territories, involving over 15,000 soldiers, tanks and checkpoints. Radpey also claimed that “hundreds of Turkish-trained ex-ISIS jihadists have been smuggled into the KRI, undetectable in their Turkish army uniforms.”
This growing resentment towards the KDP for its ties to Turkey and its failure to distance itself from Ankara’s military activities could have a significant impact on the coming elections. Osman argues that the KDP’s reluctance to prepare thoroughly for the elections reflects its fear of electoral backlash, with many voters seeing the elections as an opportunity to challenge the party’s dominance. “The people may not have organised resistance against the KDP’s actions, but they see the upcoming elections as an opportunity to take revenge,” he said, noting that the PUK, led by Bafel Talabani, has gained considerable support for opposing Turkey’s actions.
