Iraqi lawmaker submits proposal to make Tel Afar Iraq's 20th province

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi parliament member Muhtar al-Musavi said he has formally submitted to Prime Minister Ali al-Zidi's government a proposal to make Tel Afar, a district in Nineveh province, Iraq's 20th province. Al-Musavi said the file has been on the agenda for years and that a draft prepared during former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government had been blocked multiple times. He described Tel Afar as one of Iraq's largest districts by area and population, and said its elevation to provincial status is a legal and constitutional right that would improve public services and ensure fairness in the region. The lawmaker added that the proposal is backed by local residents and supported by tribal leaders, social figures and community notables, with backing documented by thousands of signatures. Al-Musavi said a roadmap involving public and political activity will be prepared in the coming months, and that demonstrations or sit-ins could be organized if necessary. The submission to the government is part of the formal process aimed at granting Tel Afar provincial status, according to al-Musavi.