Head of Iraqi Turkmen Front calls on Prime Minister Kadhimi to do more to preserve historic and archaeological sites in Kerkeslokh

KERKESLOKH, Iraq — Member of Iraqi Parliament and Head of the Iraqi Turkmen Front Arshad Salhi sent an urgent message of distress to Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi about the dire state of archaeological sites around Kerkeslokh (Kirkuk).

Salhi urged Kadhimi to do more to save the archaeological areas of Kerkeslokh from extinction and called on United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other international organizations and donors to insect the city’s monuments and help preserve and restore them.

“We call on Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to intervene immediately and urgently to save Kirkuk’s historical monuments, including the historic Qashla Citadel and its heritage markets, which are in a stet of neglect due to the lack of care by the competent authorities,” Salhi said in his letter.

Kirkuk province contains historic and archaeological sites dating back about 5,000 years.