Abdul Rahman Mustafa Explained

Abdul Rahman Mustafa
Office:Governor of Kirkuk
Term Start:2003
Term End:3 April 2011
Successor:Najmiddin Karim
Deputy:Ismail Ahmed Rajab Al Hadidi
Birth Date:9 August 1951
Birth Place:Kirkuk, Iraq
Citizenship:Iraq
Party:Kurdistan List
Spouse:civil engineer peri Saber Ahmed
Alma Mater:University of Baghdad
Profession:Lawyer, Civil engineer

Abdul Rahman Mustafa, The Kurdish mayor-governor of Kirkuk, was elected in 2003 by multiethnic Kirkuk City Council under supervision of Coalition Provisional Authority in Post-Saddam Hussein Iraq.[1] Has a law degree from Baghdad University. Visited Dallas, Texas as part of partners for peace, an International Goodwill agreement with Dallas.

After years of an Arab dominated government under Saddam Hussein, many Kurds celebrated the election of a Kurdish political representative.[2] Abdel Rahman Mustafa repeatedly denies allegation from Turkey and some Turkmen representative that any attempts have been made to change the demographic character of Kirkuk or to "re-kurdify" the city after Arabization program under the former Saddam Hussein regime.[3]

In 2006, there was an unsuccessful assassination attempt aimed at Mustafa by a suicide bomber, but he managed to survive.[4]

Mustafa submitted his resignation from his position as governor of Kirkuk in early 2011, citing the numerous problems facing Kirkuk and problems faced when trying to satisfy different parties in the province.[5]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-224224-102-political-stalemate-in-iraq-puts-local-govts-in-trouble.html Political stalemate in Iraq puts local gov'ts in trouble
  2. https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30811FB35550C7A8EDDAC0894DB404482 AFTER THE WAR: THE NORTH; Kurds Celebrate Election of Mayor in Kirkuk
  3. http://www.shoesfororphansouls.org/news/04_10_26/iraq.html SFOS News
  4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6190442.stm Baghdad hospital blasts kill four
  5. http://www.niqash.org/articles/print.php?id=2806&lang=en{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}