Baghdad — September 21, 2026
Iraqi Member of Parliament Arshad al-Salihi launched a sharp critique against attempts by federal ministries and political factions to distribute agricultural lands belonging to Kirkuk's local communities under the pretext of investment and public allotment, threatening mass street protests and direct referrals to the Federal Commission of Integrity.
Speaking at a press conference held today within the Iraqi Parliament’s Media Directorate, al-Salihi condemned the conduct of certain ministers in Baghdad, accusing them of treating state ministries as personal and clan fiefdoms driven by sectarian and nationalist agendas at the expense of Kirkuk’s Turkmen, Kurdish, and Arab residents whose lands have faced confiscation since the former regime's era. He stressed that Kirkuk remains a profoundly sensitive province where unresolved land disputes must not be exploited for narrow political interests.
Al-Salihi pointed out that Kirkuk cannot endure further land seizures, noting that the Ministry of Oil alone has already seized approximately three-quarters of the province’s agricultural land under the justification of energy projects. He explicitly cautioned the Ministries of Defense, Finance, and Agriculture against utilizing their authority to confiscate remaining lands, warning that such measures undermine social cohesion.
Furthermore, al-Salihi called on the Prime Minister to expedite executive directives regarding the parliament's legislation revoking the dissolved Revolutionary Command Council's land confiscation decrees, emphasizing that this is essential to enable the judiciary and relevant bodies to restore rightful ownership to affected citizens.
Concluding his remarks, al-Salihi issued a strict warning to local directors and administrative personnel overseeing state real estate, municipalities, and agriculture across Kirkuk. He urged them to resist partisan and political coercion and refrain from signing unlawful distribution records, vowing that any official complicit in distributing land beyond their lawful authority will be referred to the Integrity Commission and held legally accountable.
