Zikar Province Declares Official Holiday on June 11 to Mark Speicher Massacre Anniversary

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The Zikar Provincial Council decided to suspend work at all official institutions in the province on Thursday, June 11, 2026, to mark the anniversary of the Speicher massacre. Provincial Council Chairman Izza Avda Laiz said in a statement that the decision aims to honor the victims and preserve their memory. Laiz called on all public offices and institutions to comply with the measure. The statement noted that the commemoration marks the anniversary of an event recognized as one of the bloodiest episodes in Iraq's recent history. ISIS militants attacked the Speicher air base near Tikrit in June 2014, killing approximately 2,000 people, including air force flight school cadets and security personnel. The massacre has been commemorated annually since the group's defeat in subsequent years.