Protests sweep Iraqi cities in solidarity with Kurds in Syria
Shafaq News– Kirkuk/ Diyala
Protests spread across several Iraqi provinces on Tuesday as Kurdish residents rallied in solidarity with Kurds in Syria, condemning recent attacks and calling for international action to protect civilians.
In Kirkuk, dozens of demonstrators gathered in the Rahim Awa neighborhood, raising banners urging an end to violence and respect for human rights. Protesters stressed that the rally was peaceful and did not target any local community, underscoring Kirkuk’s tradition of coexistence.
Similar scenes unfolded in Diyala’s Khanaqin, where residents held a solidarity vigil in Krindi Square, waving Kurdistan flags and chanting for Kurdish unity. Speaking to Shafaq News, participants described the attacks in Syria as grave human rights violations and appealed to the United Nations and the United States to intervene. Some warned they would continue peaceful action if violence persists.
Earlier in the day, hundreds of protesters in Erbil, the Kurdistan Region capital, staged multiple demonstrations —outside the UN mission, near the US consulate, and in the city center— calling for urgent international steps to halt military operations in northern Syria.
The rallies come as clashes intensify in northern and eastern Syria between Syrian government forces and the SDF, with fighting recently extending to detention facilities holding ISIS inmates.
Read more: Syria’s calm: An end to threat or a start of a complex security phase for Iraq?
