Sema
March 14 marks the 35th anniversary of the glorious uprising of Duhok, when the people of the region—of all communities—stood side by side with the Peshmerga to end the oppressive rule of the Ba’ath Party and liberate their city.
The uprising began on the evening of March 13, 1991, when residents and Peshmerga forces prepared coordinated plans to seize control of the city. Areas in eastern Duhok, including Shindokha and Kli Duhok, were designated as starting points, while 4:00 a.m. on March 14 was set as the “zero hour” to launch the attacks.
At dawn on March 14—coinciding with the birth anniversary of Mustafa Barzani—the people of Duhok, men and women, young and old, rose up with one voice against the regime’s security forces. Within less than a day, all major military and security headquarters in the city fell to the uprising.
Despite resistance from regime forces in some institutions and the loss of several Peshmerga fighters and civilians, the will of the people proved stronger. By the evening of the same day, victory was declared in Duhok, delivering a major psychological blow to regime forces in nearby districts, many of which surrendered without resistance.
The Duhok uprising was a key chapter in the broader 1991 Kurdish Uprising, which began on March 5 in Ranya, known as the “Gateway of the Uprising.”
This historic achievement paved the way for continued liberation efforts that culminated on March 21 with the liberation of Kirkuk and the lighting of the Newroz victory flame across Kurdistan.
Years before the uprising, the former regime had killed thousands of civilians during military campaigns involving Iraqi air power in the 1980s, the worst of which was the Halabja Chemical Attack.
The Peshmerga forces played a vital role in supporting the uprising, capturing government offices and military headquarters one after another. At the same time, the international coalition intervened by imposing a no-fly zone over Kurdistan, enabling displaced Kurds to return from neighboring countries.
Following the success of the uprising, the first parliament in the Kurdistan Region was established after free elections held in May 1992, passing numerous laws and regulations.
The Kurdistan Regional Government later declared March 5 an official holiday each year to commemorate the uprising.