| 2011 Duhok riots | |
|---|---|
 Shops in Zakho after the riots | |
| Date | December 2–5, 2011 |
| Location | |
| Caused by | Islamicsermons[1] |
| Goals | To destroymassage parlors andalcohol shops |
| Methods | Arson,coercion |
| Resulted in | Widespread property damage, arrest ofKIU members |
The2011 Duhok riots refers to riots which began on December 2, 2011, in theDuhok Governorate,Iraq. They were instigated byFriday prayers' sermons by Ismail Osman Sindai,[2] aKurdishimam, calling for attacks against stores selling alcohol and massage parlours inZakho. The riots soon developed into the looting and burning down ofAssyrian- andYazidi-owned properties in other towns in the governorate, causing four million dollars of damage.[3]
The riots ended afterKurdistan Regional Government security forces intervened and began a massive crackdown on demonstrators. As a result of the riots, a group of secular Kurds attacked a number of buildings belonging to theKurdistan Islamic Union party.[4]
Assyrian personalities in the region had been wary of the changes of theArab Spring, particularity the rise ofradical Islamism.[5]The riots started inZakho, the northernmost town ofIraq, located close to theTurkish border. The town has a majorityKurdish population with a sizeableAssyrian andYazidi minority.
The small riots were instigated by Friday sermons in the northern city ofZakho after Muslim clerics called for the destruction of stores that sold alcohol in the city on December 2, 2011.[5] Angry youth mobs attackedAssyrian- andYazidi-owned businesses such as stores, hotels, casinos, and massage parlors in the northern town ofZakho.[1][6]The violence spilled into nearby towns ofDuhok andSemel. Many Assyrian social clubs and homes were also attacked throughout the province. Angry Kurdish pro-government supporters that belonged to thePatriotic Union of Kurdistan andKurdistan Democratic Party suspectedMuslim Brotherhood-inspiredKurdistan Islamic Union (KIU)clerics to be behind the violence and attacked offices of the Islamic party in Duhok andErbil overnight. However, in an official statement, the KIU denied any connections to the riots.[7]
The riots ended three days later with the strong response from theKurdistan Regional Government.
On December 3, the Kurdish intelligence agencyAsaish arrested 20 KIU members of parliament and high officials within the party.[8]ThePresident of Iraqi KurdistanMasoud Barzani ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the event.[9] In an official press release, he stated: "I condemn both these unlawful acts. I call on the people of the Kurdistan Region to preserve our traditions of ethnic and religious co-existence. I have ordered the formation of a committee to look into these disturbances and bring to justice those responsible."[10]
Protests and coups in Iraq | |
|---|---|
OETA (1918–1920) | |
Mandatory Iraq (1920–1932) | |
Kingdom of Iraq (1921–1958) | |
Iraqi Republic (1958–1968)  | |
Republic of Iraq (1968–2003) | |
Republic of Iraq (since 2003)  | |
