UN Envoy condemns violence in Hawija, calls for immediate dialogue to prevent further bloodshed

Baghdad, 23 April 2024 - The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Mr. Martin Kobler, condemns the violence in Hawija that resulted in dozens of people being killed and injured. كوردى

 “It is a tragedy, a sad day for Hawija, and it is the responsibility of all leaders not to let the situation escalate further,” he said after a meeting in Kirkuk Governorate. “Political leaders must sit together and engage in serious discussions,” Mr. Kobler added. “I have constantly called on the demonstrators to remain peaceful and on the security forces to exert utmost self-restraint and avoid excessive use of force,” the UN envoy added.
 

Mr. Kobler also called for an immediate and transparent investigation into the Hawija events and asked the authorities to ensure that adequate access to care and hospitals is provided to the wounded.
 

“Violence breeds violence and it is urgent that leaders from all sides reopen dialogue to avoid further bloodshed,” he added.
 

SRSG Kobler extends his sincere condolences to the family of the victims. “My heart goes to the grieving families, tragically shaken by the loss of a beloved one. As human beings, we cannot remain insensitive to such senseless violence.”

The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe (FIOE) condemns the attack on an Iraqi protest camp that claimed dozens of victims

The Federation of Islamic organisations in Europe expresses its deep shock, given the dozens of victims, who fell from among the protesters in the Iraqi town of Hawijah, following an attack by government forces.

Reports state that without warning, Iraqi troops invaded the square in the town of Hawijah, near to the city of Kirkuk, resulting in a massacre of protesters camped there to oppose the policies of the Iraqi government. Initial reports tell of dozens of fatalities and large numbers of wounded, painting a horrific picture of what had occurred.

The past weeks had witnessed the assassination of a number of those leading the peaceful popular protests occurring in some Iraqi provinces for several months. Recently, deadly bomb attacks had continued to take the lives of Iraqis; such as what had recently occurred in a youth club in the al-Amiriyah neighbourhood of the capital Baghdad, which claimed dozens of victims.

The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe is greatly concerned by what took place in Hawijah at the hands of government troops. This incident threatens to push matters in Iraq into a cycle of deadly confrontations, after months of peaceful popular protests against the government’s policies.

The Federation as it condemns putting the lives of Iraqi citizens in danger, is saddened by the continued shedding of Iraqi blood, and draws attention to the dangers of matters spiralling out of control, with a turn to the worse in Iraq, if the government continues to ignore the peoples’ demands, and if those responsible for murder and gross violations against citizens are not held to account.

Brussels, 24 April 2024

The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe (FIOE)