Alleged Anfal Campaign Torturer Arrested in Iraq

Alleged Anfal Campaign Torturer Arrested in Iraq
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Iraqi authorities have announced the arrest of Hajaj Ahmed Hardan al-Tikriti, an individual accused of overseeing torture and executions at the notorious Nugra Salman prison during Saddam Hussein’s genocidal Anfal campaign in the late 1980s, Rudaw reported.

The Anfal campaign, launched in 1988, systematically targeted Kurdish villages, leading to the execution of over 182,000 people and the destruction of more than 4,500 villages. Survivors of Nugra Salman prison describe Tikriti as exceptionally brutal, with a researcher noting he would “kick prisoners until they stopped breathing.”

The arrest is the culmination of an eight-month cooperative effort between Iraq’s National Security Service and the Iraqi presidency. Tikriti’s identity was confirmed through rare photographs that surfaced in 2017 and was corroborated by survivors. While Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court has recognized the Anfal campaign as genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, international recognition and victim compensation efforts have been limited. The Iraqi first lady’s office has urged victims to come forward with evidence against Tikriti to help uncover the truth and prevent future atrocities.