Halabja martyrs' memorial monument
Long journey concludes
Iraqi president approves law establishing Halabja as 19th governorate after years of efforts
NEWSROOM — President Abdul Latif Rashid on Tuesday approved the law establishing Halabja as a new governorate and issued a presidential decree formalizing its creation, the Iraqi Presidency announced.
According to a statement from the Iraqi Presidency, “President Dr. Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid approved the law to establish the Halabja Governorate and issued a presidential decree for its creation.”
The move follows the Iraqi parliament’s approval of the draft law on April 14. After multiple delays, parliament passed the legislation with a majority vote, officially recognizing Halabja as Iraq’s 19th governorate.
Located about 75 kilometers southeast of Sulaymaniyah, Halabja was the target of a brutal 1988 chemical attack by the Ba’athist regime, resulting in the deaths of 5,000 people and injuries to more than 10,000 others. The long-term effects of the attack continue to impact residents.
Known as “Martyr Halabja” among Kurds, the city was declared the fourth governorate of the Kurdistan Region in 2014 by the Kurdistan Regional Government, alongside Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok.