Kirkuk – Tensions rose in Kirkuk’s Shanagha village after Iraqi forces detained two Kurdish farmers and seized their tractors while they were cultivating their land. The arrests deepened ongoing disputes between local Kurdish residents and federal authorities over land ownership and agricultural rights.
Witnesses reported that the farmers were working their fields as usual when security units arrived and accused them of operating on disputed territory. The situation quickly escalated, leading to their detention and the confiscation of their machinery.
Following swift intervention by Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) representatives, both farmers were released on bail. However, their tractors remain under Iraqi custody, leaving their work suspended and their livelihoods disrupted.
Local residents expressed frustration, arguing that similar incidents have increased in recent months as part of growing pressure on Kurdish farmers in disputed areas. Community leaders urged the federal government to resolve agricultural disputes through dialogue instead of intimidation and confiscation.
Meanwhile, regional officials from the Kurdistan Region reiterated their support for the affected farmers, calling for the immediate return of their equipment and an end to what they described as “targeted interference” in Kurdish-inhabited territories.
The incident has reignited debates over land control, property rights, and the protection of Kurdish citizens in mixed regions like Kirkuk.