Twenty-three families in a village have been ordered to leave their homes after being accused of building on land considered a historical site.
Residents of Taljomal village, located in the Kalakchi sub-district near the border of Sheikhan district, say they will not abandon their houses. Around 40 families currently live in the village, while the government insists the homes may be demolished.
Ahmad Abdulstar, one of the residents facing demolition, told KirkukNow, “I built this house using a mortgage loan (from the government). A few days ago, the Kalakchi administration sent me a written warning, claiming I had occupied municipal land and ordering me to vacate and demolish the house.”
According to historical accounts, much of the Battle of Gaugamela—fought between Alexander III of Macedonia most commonly known as Alexander the Great and Persian King Darius III—took place in the village area.
The battle, which occurred between 333 and 331 BC, ended with Alexander’s victory. The village itself was rebuilt more than 300 years ago.
For the past decade, Taljomal has been regarded as an important archaeological site, especially after an Italian research team conducted excavation there from 2010 to 2023 and officially recognized it as a historical location.
Residents said the team carried out excavations and uncovered archaeological remains. They also said disputes arose whenever artifacts were found, as villagers were often asked to move away from those areas.
Some villagers who worked with the team claimed the discovered remains were transported in black vehicles.
Haval Mohammed, head of the Kalakchi administration, told KirkukNow, “We issued the notice at the request of the Duhok Directorate of Archaeology. No additional houses should be built in the area, and those already constructed beyond the limits must be removed.”
Bekas Brifkani, Director General of Culture and Archaeology in Duhok, also stated: “Anyone who has violated the boundaries must be removed. We had already warned residents not to build fences, houses, or plant trees in the protected historical zone.”
Taljomal village is located in Sheikhan district of Nineveh. It is part of the disputed territories under the Iraqi constitution, although it is administratively linked to Duhok northern province.a
