Anfal Genocide

Anfal Genocide

On February 23, 1988, the Iraqi government launched the Anfal campaign against Kurdish populations in northern Iraq during the final phase of the Iran–Iraq War. The campaign was directed by Ali Hassan al-Majid under the authority of President Saddam Hussein and targeted rural Kurdish communities accused of supporting insurgent forces.

Iraqi military forces conducted mass executions, village destruction, forced displacement, and large-scale detention operations. Chemical weapons were used in several locations, including the town of Halabja in March 1988. Thousands of civilians were detained in camps, and entire settlements were demolished as part of coordinated military sweeps.

Estimates indicate that between 50,000 and 182,000 Kurds were killed during the campaign. More than 4,000 villages were destroyed, and large numbers of civilians were displaced. Iraqi courts and international bodies have recognized the Anfal campaign as genocide and crimes against humanity.