Kurdish leaders convey unity, strength to mark September Revolution

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Leaders from the Kurdistan Region on Wednesday projected messages of unity and strength on the 63rd anniversary of the September Revolution, a Kurdish revolt against the Iraqi government.

The revolution, led by then leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Mullah Mustafa Barzani, broke out in 1961 after negotiations between Kurds and Baghdad did not bear fruit and the Iraqi government launched a military campaign against the Kurdish resistance.

“The significant September Revolution, representing the collective uprising of the people of Kurdistan across all its communities, encapsulated the core of national consciousness, identity, and pride among the people of Kurdistan,” Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani said in a message commemorating the occasion.

“It symbolized the unwavering determination of the people of Kurdistan to resist oppression,” he added. 

KDP leader Masoud Barzani and Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also commemorated the September or Aylul Revolution.

“The September Revolution advanced the just cause of the people of Kurdistan by several steps, inspiring the course of resistance and struggle in subsequent stages of Kurdistan's fight for freedom,” Masoud Barzani said in a statement.

“63 years on, the values of justice, unity and resilience from the September Revolution continue to guide us in serving our people and safeguarding our national gains,” Masrour Barzani said in a post on X.

After nearly a decade of armed struggle, the Iraqi government on March 11, 1970, agreed to give Kurds autonomy, a decision that was never implemented on the ground. 

In 1974, the Iraqi army waged war on the Kurds again. The revolution collapsed with the 1975 Algiers Accord between Iran and Iraq, cutting off Iran’s support for the Kurdish revolution.