Iraqi parliament passes bill recognizing Halabja as country’s 19th province
Halabja had previously been administratively affiliated with Sulaymaniyah province in northern Iraq
File Photo of a commemoration ceremony held for the victims of the attack in Halabja on the 37th anniversary
BAGHDAD / ISTANBUL
The Iraqi parliament voted on Monday in favor of a draft law to recognize the province of Halabja, raising the total number of provinces in the country to 19.
In a statement, the assembly said the draft submitted by the Regions and Governorates Committee to declare Halabja as a province was approved.
The presidency, for its part, congratulated the population of Halabja on the provincial recognition.
It called the move a “historic step, long-awaited recognition, deserved entitlement, and a positive step toward achieving justice and honoring the blood of the martyrs.”
Halabja is located within the Kurdish region in northern Iraq and had previously been administratively affiliated with the Sulaymaniyah province.
As of the latest census in February, Iraq’s population stands at 46.118 million.
