In a landmark moment for survivors and families, Iraq’s judiciary opened proceedings on Sunday in one of the most painful chapters of Kurdish history, beginning the trial of two senior officers from the former Baathist regime for their alleged direct role in the Barzani genocide.

The trial, at the Rusafa Criminal Court in Baghdad, sees two former lieutenant generals, Shakir Taha Yahya Ghafoor al-Douri and Saadoun Sabri Jamil al-Qaisi, facing charges of crimes against humanity and genocide. Their prosecution under the Iraqi High Criminal Court Law marks a significant step toward accountability for atrocities committed over four decades ago.

The case centers on the systematic targeting of the Barzani community in 1983, a core component of the broader Anfal campaign that sought to eliminate Kurdish identity in Iraq. According to court documents and historical records, more than 8,000 Barzani men and boys, all over the age of 15, were forcibly disappeared and executed after being rounded up from camps where they had been forcibly relocated.

The proceedings follow the arrest and investigation of the two accused. In a pivotal development, official documents reveal that Lt. Gen. Shakir al-Douri provided a detailed confession during preliminary interrogations, outlining the plans and operational mechanisms used to arrest and disappear the Barzani males. His testimony is expected to be a central piece of evidence.

“The trauma of the Barzani genocide remains deeply embedded in our collective memory,” said a representative from a legal team representing victims’ families, who were present in the court. “This trial is not just about punishing individuals; it is about official recognition of the truth and defending the legal rights of the victims.”

The court has prepared a list of thirty-five complainants and eyewitnesses from areas including Barzan, Harir, and Soran, who will testify about the atrocities committed against their families. They are listed as plaintiffs in Case No. 9/J/2025.

Historical documents, including a 1989 letter from the Director of General Security, confirm the scope of the operation. It states that on August 1, 1983, following directives from senior regime officials, all Barzani males from the Quds and Qadisiya camps were taken to Baghdad and never seen again.