The Why Project
← Genocide

Anfal Campaign (Kurds)

Iraqi Kurdistan · 1988–1988

HistoricalJudicial finding

The 1988 Iraqi military campaign against the Kurdish population, including the Halabja chemical attack; ruled genocide by the Iraqi High Tribunal.

Perpetrator
Ba'athist Iraq (Saddam Hussein government)
Target group
Iraqi Kurds
Deaths (estimate)
50,000 – 182,000 (best: 100,000)
Protected category
National, Ethnical

Process stage (Stanton)

1 Classification
2 Symbolization
3 Discrimination
4 Dehumanization
5 Organization
6 Polarization
7 Preparation
8 Persecution
9 Extermination
10 Denial

Recognition status

Judicial finding. The Iraqi High Tribunal ruled the Anfal campaign a genocide against the Kurds (2007).

HistoricalJudicial finding