Halabja Bombardment, Massacre, Devastation, and Displacement – 1974
Four years after the March 11, 1970, statement that led to an agreement between the Kurds and the central government of Iraq, the Ba’ath regime spent the following four years undermining and neglecting Kurdish demands. This resulted in Kurdish protests through meetings, demonstrations, and articles publication. The fascist Ba’athists, prioritizing massacre and intimidation, utilized every means possible to suppress the Kurdish people. They dropped napalm bombs on Qaladiza on April 24, 1974. Precisely two days later, on April 26, they attacked Halabja, which was protesting against the Qaladiza bombardment.
For a long time, Halabja had been the center for literature and intellectuals and was a notable city in political, cultural, and revolutionary discourse. This city was considered a social and political hub. For this reason, Halabja was not easily dominated by any regime.
On April 26, 1974, the Ba’ath regime of Iraq bombarded Halabja and destroyed the city. The attack resulted in the death of 58 civilians and injuries to over 100. Most houses, public places, and schools were razed to the ground. Most of Halabja’s residents were displaced; some relocated to surrounding villages, while others took refuge in the camps of Paveh, Sirias, and Anzal in Iran. This tragedy left a profound scar on the collective memory of the Kurds and the city of Halabja. In 1974, within a few days, the Ba’ath regime targeted both Qaladiza and Halabja to undermine Kurdish national identity, destroying both cities.