ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The Kurdistan Region marked the 14th anniversary of the twin suicide bombing attacks on PUK’s and KDP's offices in Erbil, as Kurdish officials say this year they won't forget the extremist mentality akin to ISIS that led to the 2004 attack. A play and ceremonies are also being held on Thursday.
People and Kurdish leaders have visited a monument erected with the names of the victims at Sami Abdulrahman Park in Erbil, named after former KRG Deputy Prime Minister Sami Abdulrahman, who lost his life along with his son, Salah, in the February 1, 2004, bombings.
Kurdish officials lay wreaths at a memorial at Sami Abdulrahman Park in Erbil. Video: Rudaw
“It is different this year. This year we are remembering the struggle of the Kurdish peoples struggle, Iraqi peoples, Peshmerga forces, and Iraqi forces, who with the help of the coalition, defeated the so-called ISIS.”
He added that it was extremists with the mentality of ISIS, who were to blame February 1, while congratulating the Kurdish people for the defeat of ISIS.
A KRG minister posited that this act of terrorism should be a lesson to the Kurdish parties and the people that unity and agreement is the best response to its enemies and haters.
“We, as the Ministry of Martyr and Anfal Affairs, consider ourselves to be the protectors of the martyrs and alongside the directorate generals are always at their service,” said Minister Mahmood Salih Hama Karim.
He criticized the parties for not paying enough attention to nationalism, patriotism and coexistence in the Kurdistan Region lately.
A play will take place in Duhok. It is about a soldier who died fighting for life. His spirit speaks with his widow later on after his death. It also touches upon critical social issues. The play will be performed at 5 p.m. on Thursday and again later.
In 2004, as party officials and cadres of PUK and PDK were welcoming guests for Eid Al-Adha in Erbil, two suicide attackers detonated explosives at the parties’ offices. In the attacks, 101 people were killed and 246 people were injured.
Annual activities have taken place in commemoration of the victims. Wreaths of flowers are placed on the memorial erected at Sami Abdulrahman Park in the heart of Erbil with the participation of officials and foreign officials as well.
"The wound is deep and the memory still searingly present, but the people of Kurdistan will never bow to terrorists," she wrote in a tweet.
On this day 14 years ago, Islamist terrorists killed 98 people and injured 250 in Erbil. The wound is deep and the memory still searingly present, but the people of Kurdistan will never bow to terrorists. We honour and pray for those killed and injured. Biji Kurdistan pic.twitter.com/mEcwEjOP88
— Bayan Sami Rahman (@BayanRahman) February 1, 2018
The 2004 event instigated a tightening of security in the KRG with the establishment of counterterrorism unit. Even through the ISIS war, attacks in the Kurdistan Region were rare.
The Spokesperson for the KRG Safeen Dizayee explained that Kurdistan has long been targeted.
“The Kurdish nation has been faced with a lot of suffering, mass killings and policies of destruction and killings. February 1 is one of those days,’ he said.
Despite the "blood of martyrs," he sees a bright future for the Kurdish nation and for Kurdistan.
Victims recall the twin attacks in Erbil. Video: Rudaw
