In Memory of Halabja
16 March 1988 – Halabja
On 16 March 1988, the Kurdish city of Halabja became the target of one of the most devastating chemical attacks against civilians in modern history. Thousands of innocent men, women, and children lost their lives, and many more suffered lasting physical and psychological harm.
The attack formed part of a broader campaign of systematic repression against the Kurdish people and is widely recognized as a crime against humanity. It represents a grave violation of international humanitarian law and of the most fundamental principles protecting civilian life.
Halabja remains a solemn reminder of the global prohibition against chemical weapons. The principles embodied in the Chemical Weapons Convention and other international legal instruments exist to ensure that such atrocities are never repeated.
Today, we honor the victims by remembering their lives and reaffirming our commitment to justice, accountability, human dignity, and international cooperation. The memory of Halabja calls upon the world to defend civilian populations and uphold universal human rights.
The tragedy of Halabja will forever remain a symbol of remembrance, resilience, and the enduring struggle for freedom and dignity.
The attack formed part of a broader campaign of systematic repression against the Kurdish people and is widely recognized as a crime against humanity. It represents a grave violation of international humanitarian law and of the most fundamental principles protecting civilian life.
Halabja remains a solemn reminder of the global prohibition against chemical weapons. The principles embodied in the Chemical Weapons Convention and other international legal instruments exist to ensure that such atrocities are never repeated.
Today, we honor the victims by remembering their lives and reaffirming our commitment to justice, accountability, human dignity, and international cooperation. The memory of Halabja calls upon the world to defend civilian populations and uphold universal human rights.
The tragedy of Halabja will forever remain a symbol of remembrance, resilience, and the enduring struggle for freedom and dignity.
Halabja stands as a solemn reminder to humanity that the use of chemical weapons against civilians must never be tolerated.
The memory of its victims calls upon the world to defend human dignity, justice, and peace.
The memory of its victims calls upon the world to defend human dignity, justice, and peace.
The memory of Halabja remains a warning to humanity and a call for justice.
Halabja — The World Must Never Forget
Halabja Chemical Attack
The Halabja chemical attack was one of the most devastating assaults against Kurdish civilians in modern history. It took place on 16 March 1988 in the Kurdish city of Halabja in Southern Kurdistan, during the final stage of the Iran–Iraq War.
On that day, aircraft of the Iraqi regime under Saddam Hussein dropped chemical agents on the town. The attack killed an estimated 5,000 civilians, many of them women, children, and elderly people, while thousands more were injured and suffered long-term health consequences.
The attack on Halabja occurred within the broader context of the Anfal campaign (1987–1989), a large-scale military operation carried out by the Iraqi regime against Kurdish populations. The campaign included mass arrests, forced disappearances, executions, the destruction of villages, and the use of chemical weapons. Historical estimates suggest that up to 182,000 Kurdish civilians lost their lives during this period.
In 1993, the organization Human Rights Watch concluded after extensive investigation that the Anfal campaign constituted genocide, documenting its findings in the report Genocide in Iraq: The Anfal Campaign Against the Kurds.
On 1 March 2010, the Iraqi High Criminal Court officially recognized the Halabja massacre as an act of genocide.
The Halabja chemical attack was one of the most devastating assaults against Kurdish civilians in modern history. It took place on 16 March 1988 in the Kurdish city of Halabja in Southern Kurdistan, during the final stage of the Iran–Iraq War.
On that day, aircraft of the Iraqi regime under Saddam Hussein dropped chemical agents on the town. The attack killed an estimated 5,000 civilians, many of them women, children, and elderly people, while thousands more were injured and suffered long-term health consequences.
The attack on Halabja occurred within the broader context of the Anfal campaign (1987–1989), a large-scale military operation carried out by the Iraqi regime against Kurdish populations. The campaign included mass arrests, forced disappearances, executions, the destruction of villages, and the use of chemical weapons. Historical estimates suggest that up to 182,000 Kurdish civilians lost their lives during this period.
In 1993, the organization Human Rights Watch concluded after extensive investigation that the Anfal campaign constituted genocide, documenting its findings in the report Genocide in Iraq: The Anfal Campaign Against the Kurds.
On 1 March 2010, the Iraqi High Criminal Court officially recognized the Halabja massacre as an act of genocide.
