IRAQ: New Kerkheslokh (Kirkuk) Governor mandates Syriac and Turkmen languages alongside Arabic and Kurdish in official communications

KERKHESLOKH, Iraq — The newly-elected Governor of Kerkheslokh (Kirkuk), Iraq, Rebwar Taha, issued a directive to the official councils and administrations in the region, requiring the addition of Syriac and Turkmen languages alongside Arabic and Kurdish in all official communications.

This decision aligns with the Iraqi Constitution, which recognizes Arabic and Kurdish as official languages and guarantees every Iraqi the right to educate their children in their native language, including Turkmen, Syriac, and Armenian. The Syriac language is also recognized as the unified language of the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people.

As a result of this decision, all official documents, regulations, announcements, and road signs in Kerkheslokh will be written in the languages of the region’s four main communities. Additionally, Taha has committed to publishing the results of the governorate’s work in all four languages on the official Kerkheslokh Governorate website.

“Brotherhood is the identity of Kerkheslokh,” Taha stated, emphasizing the region’s commitment to linguistic and cultural inclusivity.

The former governor of Kerkheslokh, Rakan al-Jubouri, had previously opposed the use of all languages in official communications, despite the region’s diverse population.