The Concept of Genocide and the Anfal Campaign

Abstract

The Anfal Campaign was a series of attacks conducted by the Iraqi Army against the Kurdish people in Northern Iraq. The campaign was the culmination of the efforts of the Iraqi regime to quell the Kurdish aspiration of greater autonomy and independence. The use of chemical weapons resulted in the death of estimated 5'8000 to 1'08000 civilians. It is argued in this paper that the Anfal campaign was not merely an counter-insurgency operation but also genocide.

Keywords: Genocide, Anfal, Iraq