Sunni blocs reject proposals to split Nineveh, warn of division and instability

NINEVEH — Iraq’s two largest Sunni blocs strongly rejected parliamentary proposals to establish new governorates in Tal Afar, Sinjar and the Nineveh Plain, calling the move divisive and a threat to national unity.

The backlash followed the Iraqi Parliament’s decision Monday to include draft laws on the agenda of its sixth session, including one proposing Tal Afar become a separate governorate. Shia parliamentary blocs largely support the measure, which comes shortly after Parliament formally recognized Halabja as Iraq’s 19th governorate.

In a statement, the Sunni Azm Alliance condemned what it termed “irresponsible” proposals raised during the session.

“Azm Alliance expresses its firm rejection of the attempts presented in today’s Parliament session to establish new governorates by cutting them from the body of Nineveh, including Tal Afar, the Nineveh Plain, and Sinjar, under the pretext of emulating the Halabja experience,” the statement said.

“This direction does not reflect the will of Nineveh’s people,” Azm added. “It is an irresponsible move that deliberately paves the way for dividing the governorate along sectarian and ethnic lines and opens the door to unacceptable demographic change.”

Azm insisted any decisions about Nineveh’s future should be made by its “legitimate representatives” and within constitutional guidelines, rather than through politically driven recommendations without local consensus.

“Passing such proposals outside legal procedures will pose a threat to Nineveh’s unity and social stability,” the statement added. Azm called on political leaders to protect Iraq’s national cohesion.
The Sovereignty Party in Nineveh echoed this stance, emphasizing the governorate’s diversity as a strength.

“The Sovereignty Party in Nineveh firmly rejects any calls aimed at dividing the governorate or establishing new governorates in Tal Afar, Sinjar, or the Nineveh Plain, regardless of the justification—whether sectarian, ethnic, or administrative,” the party said in its own statement.

“These ideas do not serve the interests of Nineveh’s people. On the contrary, they deepen societal division and invite fragmentation schemes that endanger Iraq’s unity and sovereignty,” it added. “Nineveh, with its religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity, must remain unified within the Iraqi state and preserve its social fabric.”

The Sovereignty Party urged political and civic organizations to defend Nineveh’s unity and prioritize solutions to service delivery, security and economic challenges through a comprehensive national vision. It reaffirmed commitment to a unified Iraq and opposition to agendas that “weaken the state.”

However, the Badr Parliamentary Bloc, a prominent Shia group, backed the proposals to carve out new governorates. During a press conference in Parliament, Badr lawmaker Waad Qaddo argued the new governorates would help communities long neglected by local authorities.

“These areas have suffered severe neglect by local administrations and former governors, making it necessary to establish a new governorate to bring justice to the communities living there,” Qaddo said.

He also endorsed the recent decision recognizing Halabja as a governorate as a “constitutional and legal right” and urged Parliament to provide the same status for Tal Afar, Sinjar and the Nineveh Plain.

Parliament’s media office confirmed the draft law to create Tal Afar governorate was included on the agenda during Monday’s session, which was chaired by First Deputy Speaker Mohsen al-Mandalawi and attended by 178 lawmakers.

The Iraqi Turkmen Front on Tuesday also expressed strong support for Tal Afar becoming a governorate. Mohammed Aghaoghlu, newly appointed leader of the front, called this move “constitutional and equitable,” and demanded similar recognition for Tuz Khurmatu.

“Granting Tal Afar and Tuz Khurmatu administrative rights is a step toward ending historical injustice,” the front said, framing the demand as consistent with Iraq’s push toward decentralization and in line with the precedent set by Halabja.

Tal Afar, a district in northern Nineveh, has roughly 300,000 residents, predominantly ethnic Turkmen split between Sunni and Shia, alongside Kurdish and Arab minorities. The region is largely agricultural, consisting of the subdistricts Zummar, Rabia and Ayadiyah, and includes 78 villages. Tal Afar borders Mosul to the east, Dohuk to the north, Sinjar to the west and Hatra to the south. Located about 450 kilometers north of Baghdad, it sits near Iraq’s borders with Turkey and Syria.

Tal Afar is among Iraq’s oldest cities, notable for an ancient citadel dating back to the Assyrian period, once dedicated to the worship of the goddess Ishtar.