Sema
“On the occasion of Qultas Day, I would like to extend my warm congratulations to the Kaka’i brothers and sisters in Kurdistan and around the world. I hope that they have a joyful and peaceful holiday celebration,” the Prime Minister said.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani issued a congratulatory statement on Tuesday to the Kurdish Kakai community in recognition of their Qultas holiday, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
“On the occasion of Qultas Day, I would like to extend my warm congratulations to the Kaka’i brothers and sisters in Kurdistan and around the world. I hope that they have a joyful and peaceful holiday celebration,” the Prime Minister said.
The Premier also noted that the Kaka’is played a significant and crucial role in the liberation movement of the Kurdish people. He expressed deep appreciation for their struggles and sacrifices, reiterating the commitment to defending their rights.
Kurdish Kaka’is follow Yarsanism, a religion founded in the late 14th century in western Iran. While its adherents are referred to as Yarsani, the Kaka’i identity is exclusive to Iraq.
Although they primarily reside in Iran, Iraq, and Turkey, Kaka’i members living in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq’s disputed territories are usually considered ethnic Kurds, while the Kaka’i label is seen as indicative of their religion.
Having suffered religious persecution for many years, both historically and in recent decades, the Kaka’i community has often sought to avoid attention by keeping their practices relatively secret. While exact figures are unknown, it is estimated that at least 100,000 Kaka’is live in various parts of Iraq, mostly in the disputed territories such as Kirkuk, Nineveh, and Makhmour.
They are among the many minorities in Iraq that have been systematically targeted by ISIS. However, as they have frequently lamented, the group has not garnered the same level of media coverage and attention as other, more well-known groups, such as the Yazidis. A significant number of Kaka’i families evacuated their villages in Kirkuk’s Daquq district following the rise of the terror group in 2014.
