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Khurshid Harki, the Harki local chieftain who recently clashed with KDP security forces who tried to arrest him and thwarted the attempt before ultimately reaching a settlement, has donated 36 million dinars ($26,000) to Gaza via a Kurdish Islamic charity. Millions of dollars have now been raised across the...

21,835 views • 1 year ago •via X (Twitter)

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Clashes between elements of the Harki tribe and KDP security forces have been ongoing and have spread to other areas, as more Harki members arrive from different regions. The fighting erupted after KDP forces attempted to arrest Khurshid Harki, one of the tribe’s chieftains, who has refused to surrender. At least one Harki fighter and one KDP security officer have been killed, and several military vehicles, including at least two Humvees, have been destroyed by Harki fighters. The unrest began following a land dispute between this faction of the Harki tribe and the Gorran tribe over territory crossed by the KRG oil pipeline. Clashes between the two tribes had already taken place. Although talks were held, tensions escalated when Bashar Mushir Agha, the head of the Gorran tribe, was seen publicly with Masrour Barzani during the fighting - a move that angered many within the Harki tribe, which is considered one of the largest, if not the largest tribe, in Kurdistan. A ceasefire agreement was reached yesterday, but Harki supporters now claim KDP forces violated it by attempting to arrest Khurshid Harki. In a video clip from the fighting, Khurshid Agha is seen holding a rifle and calling on his fighters to resist until reinforcements arrive from Zakho and Duhok. Khurshid Agha, a businessman and military commander affiliated with the KDP; the Harki tribe is split into several factions, with multiple figures claiming tribal leadership. Political party affiliations have further deepened these divisions. The most prominent Harki chief is Jawhar Muhadin Agha, a staunch KDP enemy that is aligned with the PUK. His base of support spans Duhok, Erbil, and Mosul, though he primarily operates out of Mosul, as he is unable to return to Erbil or Duhok. In a recent statement, he voiced support for Khurshid Harki and declared that the Harkis “will not accept being treated unfairly.” He commands a large following and is a multimillionaire.

Kurdistan Watch

57,708 views • 1 year ago

KDP security forces say they arrested Khurshid Harki during a raid at around 2 a.m., while he was asleep, along with his brother Hayder and two of his sons. They also seized his money, gold, cars and other valuables. The arrests come a year after an earlier attempt by KDP security forces to detain Khurshid led to armed clashes after he refused to surrender. A deal was later reached, allowing him to return to his village. He subsequently campaigned for the KDP in Iraq’s November 2025 elections. In recent weeks, however, Khurshid resigned from the party again and was reportedly preparing to announce a new political party within days of his arrest. He had also recently renewed his dispute with the Khabat power plant, located near his village. Khurshid accused the company of paying local workers far less than had been agreed. Other sources also say he blocked a pipeline connected to the plant that was due to pass through land he owned, pending a proper agreement. Background: The dispute between Khurshid Harki and Erbil’s security forces grew out of a tribal conflict between Khurshid and the Goran tribe. In July last year, tensions escalated into armed clashes between his supporters and the security forces. The original dispute was linked to land ownership. Before violence broke out, both sides had attacked each other on social media. The online feud then turned violent when supporters of Khurshid Harki opened fire on several villagers from the Goran tribe. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued for him. When security forces asked Khurshid to surrender, he refused. A large security and military force was then sent to the area to arrest him, but he again refused to hand himself in, leading to armed clashes. After two people from the security forces and the Harki tribe were killed, and as tensions in the area intensified, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani intervened. He sent the head of his guards to Khurshid Harki and persuaded him to end the standoff. Khurshid later surrendered himself to the Kurdistan Region Presidency. After being held for more than a week at the Sheraton Hotel in Erbil, he was released and returned to his area. The crisis was also shaped by an internal contest over the leadership of the Harki tribe. Both Jawhar Muhiaddin Agha and Mahmoud Agha present themselves as the tribe’s leader. Jawhar Agha has longstanding disputes with the KDP dating back to his father’s era. His lineage has historically held the tribal chieftaincy, and he remains by far the most authoritative Harki figure. He is also effectively outside the party’s reach in the area. Jawhar Agha now resides mainly in Mosul, while also spending time in Sulaimani and Gaziantep in Turkey. He is currently aligned with the PUK. Mahmoud Agha, by contrast, is regarded as close to the KDP. During the dispute between Khurshid Harki and Bashar Mushir Agha of the Goran tribe, the KDP appeared to give greater support to Bashar Mushir Agha, given his closeness to the party. At the same time, the KDP was suspicious of Khurshid’s possible ties to Jawhar Agha, who opposes the party. While the KDP was trying to arrest Khurshid, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani received Bashar Mushir Agha. This further angered the Harkis and strengthened their refusal to surrender. Beyond Harki suspicions that the KDP was backing the Goran tribe, the party also appeared to be using the crisis to promote Mahmoud Agha as head of the Harki tribe instead of Jawhar Muhiaddin Agha. At the time, a video circulated showing a phone call between Mahmoud Agha and the interior minister. KDP-affiliated media outlets also published a message from Mahmoud Agha, presented in his capacity as head of the Harki tribe, in which he called for brotherhood between the Harki and Goran tribes. In the phone call, the interior minister told Mahmoud Agha: “Out of respect for you, we will withdraw the military and security forces from around Khurshid Harki’s house.” Soon afterwards, people close to Khurshid rejected the claim that Mahmoud Agha was the head of the Harki tribe and insisted that Jawhar Muhiaddin Agha was their leader. Although the dispute between Khurshid Harki and the Goran tribe appeared on the surface to be about land, the background to the crisis involved several sensitive political and tribal dynamics.

Kurdistan Watch

19,417 views • 1 month ago

On the protests in Lajan near Erbil: there is a complete and unprecedented blackout in the village. It has been besieged by KDP special forces using U.S.-supplied Humvees and other weapons, and both electricity and internet have been cut. Since the morning, journalists attempting to cover the events have been detained, expelled, or assaulted. Some protesters have reportedly been held inside the Lanaz refinery, while others have been forced to remain in the village, which is within walking distance of the facility. Lanaz refinery is owned by Mansour Barzani, Masoud Barzani’s son and commander of the KDP special forces. KDP-aligned media, including Rudaw - which until recently was far more outspoken - have remained completely silent. The only KDP outlet to cover the events, AVA Media, has framed the protesters as armed saboteurs who blocked the refinery gate and prevented trucks from moving. The grievances of the villagers, who are from the Harki tribe, are not new. Around four months ago, they also protested to demand jobs at the refinery, saying they have been left with only pollution and disease. The Harki issue is complex. It is a large tribe divided between the KDP and PUK: the main tribal leader is aligned with the PUK due to a historical blood feud with the Barzanis, while some sub-branches now have interests with the KDP. Others, like Khurshid Harki - who clashed with KDP forces when they tried to arrest him - are seen as mavericks driven by their own interests. The PUK media’s extensive coverage of the protests has further angered the KDP. The villagers’ demands are genuine, but their actions are becoming a major headache for the KDP, in part because the area is highly strategic: it hosts not only the refinery but also the KRG oil pipeline passes by it and lies close to the disputed territories and KDP–Iraqi fault lines. Any temporary suppression of the protests risks deepening the underlying problems there.

Kurdistan Watch

21,089 views • 8 months ago