At a Glance

• For Kurdish farmers in Khanaqin, agriculture serves not only as a primary source of livelihood but also as a continuous struggle to assert ethnic and cultural identity.

• More than twenty years after the fall of the former regime, local farmers continue to bear the consequences of past Arabization policies and legacy Baath regime decrees.

• Settled Arab claimants, backed by historical laws and legal pretexts, are demanding ownership of agricultural lands, placing local farmers at severe economic and social risk.

• Out of approximately 500,000 dunams of agricultural land across Khanaqin, over 2,700 parcels in lower Khanaqin face threats of confiscation or conversion into commercial and residential zones.

Land ownership disputes and agricultural challenges in Khanaqin have intensified as local Kurdish farmers confront persistent legal hurdles and ownership claims rooted in past regime policies.

Background and Land Claims

1. Legacy of Past Policies: Kurdish farmers in the region continue to face systemic obstacles stemming from the demographic and land decisions enacted by the former regime.

2. Contested Ownership: Supported by old administrative decisions and legal frameworks, settled Arab claimants are actively seeking ownership over agricultural lands historically farmed by locals.

3. Resilience and Production: Despite facing mounting economic and social pressures, local farmers refuse to relent, continuing to cultivate their remaining plots to foster agricultural self-sufficiency in Khanaqin.

Escalating Tensions and Legal Stalemate

On-the-Ground Conflict: Over the past few years, grievances and land disputes have occasionally escalated into physical altercations, public protests, and the deliberate burning of farmers' wheat and barley crops.

Implementation Gap: Although various official decisions and laws have been issued in Baghdad to invalidate previous regime-era measures, a lack of practical enforcement on the ground has left the crisis unresolved. Nevertheless, current indicators suggest the disputes are nearing a critical juncture that could ultimately favor Kurdish farmers.

Scope of the Crisis: According to data from parliamentary representatives and the Khanaqin Agriculture Directorate, the district encompasses roughly 500,000 dunams of agricultural land, with more than 2,700 parcels in lower Khanaqin facing direct attempts at seizure or commercial conversion.

FYI

Khanaqin is a strategically located district in Diyala Governorate where agricultural land administration, property rights, and demographic shifts have remained politically sensitive and legally complex issues.

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