2016 Kirkuk expulsions

In 2016, Arab settlers were expelled from Kirkuk Governorate in Kurdistan region, primarily following military operations by Kurdish forces. The expulsions, which involved the emptying of plots and the removal of Arab and Turkmen newcomers into the region, were framed as ensuring the security of Kirkuk.

In 2016, following the ISIS offensive and the eventual Kurdish capture of Kirkuk, the region became increasingly politically charged. Kurdish forces began expelling Arab and Turkmen settlers who were suspected of sympathizing with ISIS from the area.

Throughout 2016, there were reports of Kurdish forces demolishing Arab homes,^[12][13][14] forcibly removing residents, and displacing entire families. These actions were particularly prominent after the military push to retake Kirkuk from ISIS and consolidate Kurdish control over the region. One example was the village of Qutan, where over 375 Arab families were reportedly displaced.^[15]

The United Nations raised concerns over these actions, stating that they amounted to collective punishment and were in violation of international human rights law.^[16]

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) disproved the accusations,^[17] asserting that the moving of Arab families was due to security concerns related to ISIS and that the actions were not ethnically motivated. The KRG’s primary objective was the safety and security of Kirkuk residents.^[18]

International organizations, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, condemned the actions of Kurdish forces, calling them violations of human rights and international law. These organizations claimed to have documented the alleged destruction of (overwhelmingly ISIS aligned) Arab homes and the displacement of families, labelling the actions as consistent with ethnic cleansing.^[19][20]

• War against the Islamic State