Turkmen say it's their turn: Push for province status in Iraq

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, the head of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, Mohammed Semaan, called on Iraq’s federal government and parliament to grant provincial status to the districts of Tal Afar and Tuz Khurmatu.

He described the move as a key component of the Turkmen political agenda and a necessary step toward administrative justice. “The demand was rooted in the Turkmen community’s long history of political exclusion and sacrifices in the fight against terrorism,” he added, arguing that granting province status to the two districts would mirror the Iraqi parliament’s recent decision to recognize Halabja as the country’s 19th province.

“This is not merely an administrative adjustment—it is about recognizing the suffering and contributions of the Turkmen people, who have consistently stood for Iraq’s sovereignty and unity,” Semaan said.

He added that Tal Afar and Tuz Khurmatu have long been deprived of basic development and equitable governance, and called on all political blocs and parliamentarians to support what he described as a constitutional and national entitlement.

The proposal aligns with Iraq’s broader efforts to promote administrative decentralization and devolve greater authority to local governments. Semaan said elevating Tal Afar and Tuz Khurmatu to provinces would help correct longstanding imbalances in representation and public service delivery.

The demand also reflects growing momentum among minority groups for greater political recognition following the parliamentary vote on Monday to designate Halabja—long treated as a district within al-Sulaymaniyah province—as an independent province. That vote followed years of delays due to political disputes.