Villagers in Kirkuk protest bulldozing of 110-year-old cemetery for housing project

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Residents of Rujaybat village in Kirkuk governorate have protested the bulldozing and leveling of a 110-year-old cemetery by a private investor, saying the site contains the remains of their ancestors and holds historical and social significance for the area. Villager Ahmed Jawad said the cemetery is one of the district's historical landmarks and that residents oppose any encroachment on its sanctity or its conversion into an investment site. Fellow villager Mohammed Khalaf said local residents reject the work being carried out at the cemetery and are calling on the relevant authorities to halt the project. Kirkuk lawmaker Mohammed Ali al-Nuaymi said the sanctity of the dead cannot be treated as an investment zone and described the incident as going beyond an administrative violation. He said bulldozing cemeteries to build housing complexes constitutes a breach of the dignity of the deceased. According to al-Nuaymi, letters had previously been sent to the Prime Minister, the Integrity Commission and the relevant oversight bodies, and the file will be pursued until all those responsible are held to account. No further details on the project or the investor were immediately available.