Armed attack on Barzani’s office in Kirkuk sends political message

Unknown gunmen attacked the office of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Kirkuk, Iraq, early Saturday. The attackers fired light weapons at the building, but there were no injuries or significant damage, local security sources report.

The attack came amid reports that KDP leader Masoud Barzani was allegedly negotiating with Arab and Turkmen groups to resolve disputes over local government and the governorship.

However, a senior Kurdish official denied these allegations and told Asharq Al-Awsat that Barzani is currently out of the country and has not met with any council member from Kirkuk.

Police responded to the attack, launched an investigation and released descriptions of the suspects who fled the scene.

The KDP office was a point of contention in Kirkuk.

Last year, a dispute erupted when the military demanded the return of the building. Clashes between party supporters and security forces resulted in casualties, including a Peshmerga officer.

The situation was resolved in November when Barzani handed over the building to the University of Kirkuk for use by students and academics.

Kurdish researcher Kifah Mahmoud has raised concerns about whether there may be hidden motives behind the ongoing deadlock in appointing a new leader for Kirkuk province.

“There are speculations about who benefits from the provincial council’s inaction,” Mahmoud told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He noted a pattern in recent incidents, comparing the attack on the KDP headquarters to fires in markets in Erbil, Kirkuk and Dohuk.

“These incidents, including the KDP attack, occurred late at night, suggesting they were coordinated,” Mahmoud said.

Mahmoud also mentioned that these events led to regional tensions between Iraq, the Kurdistan Region and neighboring countries.

The identity of the attackers is still unknown until the footage from a surveillance camera at a nearby construction site has been evaluated.

The KDP has long accused the Turkish Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) of being behind various hostilities, including attacks on the KDP and certain oil and gas companies in the region, particularly in Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah.

The PKK is also accused of provoking Turkish military actions in Iraqi Kurdistan.

On Saturday, Marwan Jalal, spokesman for the KDP’s third branch in Kirkuk, said they had received information about a possible attack on their headquarters.

He described the incident as politically motivated and coincided with the KDP’s efforts to bring the province’s communities together to form a new government.