The Arrest of Ajaj Hardan Ahmad al-Tikriti: Questions and concerns

Shakhawan Shorash | Exclusive to iKurd.net

The recent arrest of Ajaj Hardan Ahmad al-Tikriti, known among survivors of the Nugra Salman prison as “the Ajaj of Nugra Salman”, has triggered mixed reactions. While some are relieved to see him apprehended, many questions and criticisms remain.

Ajaj al-Tikriti was a notorious officer in the security apparatus of the former Baʿath regime and served in several locations, including Al‑Muthanna province, Al‑Bousaiyah, and Nugra Salman. In all three places, detainees reportedly faced torture and mass killings under Baʿathist control.

His arrest was announced on August 1, 2025, but he may have been detained prior to that; the specific date, however, has not been revealed. For years, rumors of his death circulated. Reports suggest he may have undergone cosmetic surgery and concealed a distinctive birthmark with a black patch, enabling him to live openly in his hometown of Tikrit, where he was regarded as a respected figure.

Some sources indicate his arrest was triggered by a personal or social dispute, raising the possibility that he might have otherwise remained undetected.

During the Anfal genocidal operations—especially in phases two, three and four, between 22 March and 8 May 1988—thousands of people from rural areas of Kirkuk and Sulaimani provinces were rounded up.

Men and boys were sent directly to mass graves, while women, children, and elderly people were transported to remote prisons like Nugra Salman. In some cases, young men were also taken there and later executed.

Ajaj al-Tikriti was in charge of the Nugra Salman prison, where inmates endured extreme torture, starvation, and disease. Survivors recount horrific conditions — young women and girls were forcibly removed from the crowds and raped by prison guards, children dying of hunger, corpses thrown to the dogs outside the prison, and people executed with cables and hammers.

Many survivors vividly remember black dogs feeding on human remains. Mothers would carry their children’s bodies outside, knowing that the black dogs would eat them. As the prison chief, Ajaj al-Tikriti bears direct responsibility for these atrocities.

Failure to Bring Perpetrators to Justice

Why wasn’t Ajaj al-Tikriti arrested sooner? In the major Anfal trial, which began on 21 August 2006, Iraq’s Supreme Criminal Court charged only five defendants. Ajaj´s name was not among them. Although wanted by the court, he was never apprehended or tried, much like many other suspects.

Other prisons such as Topzawa, Dubz, Tikrit, Nizarke, and Salamiya also had notorious reputations, but their directors and torturers were never brought to justice. Iraqi authorities made no serious effort to arrest perpetrators, even though the court issued warrants for over 400 suspects—a small fraction of those involved.

Nugra Salman Prison. Located in the remote desert of Iraq’s Al-Muthanna Governorate in southern Iraq, about 150 kilometers from the Saudi border, Nugra Salman—also known as the Salman Depression—served as a notorious prison. It became a tragic site in history where thousands of Kurds were detained and later executed. Photo: Screengrab/video/Sajjad Alnaely/YT

In the Kurdistan Region, the authorities—who claim to represent the victims—have neither convened a special court for these crimes nor tried to arrest the perpetrators. The ruling parties, the KDP and the PUK, have even blocked trials of local collaborators known as “jash leaders,” despite requests from the courts. In both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, those responsible for genocidal crimes continue to enjoy impunity.

What Needs to Happen Next

To ensure justice, the Anfal case must be reopened. Survivors and victims’ families should be heard and supported, and the main perpetrators must be brought to trial. Efforts to release or pardon them must be strongly opposed.

Claims that Tikriti is a different person and should be freed—such as those made by some Sunni Arab groups from the Ubayd tribe in Tikrit—must be exposed. Journalists who attempted to gather information on Tikriti’s family were blocked by local security forces in Tikrit, had their photos confiscated, and were briefly detained.

The legal process must proceed without interference. Witnesses and survivors need protection so they can testify, and crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity should be prosecuted under international law. Only then will true justice be served and a measure of peace offered to survivors and families of victims.

All other perpetrators of the Anfal and other genocidal crimes must also be arrested and tried. Many individuals who directly participated, like Ajaj al-Tikriti, still live freely. Anyone involved in these atrocities should face justice; sheltering them is itself a crime.

Genuine peace and coexistence are impossible without justice. Unfortunately, Iraqi and Kurdish authorities have shown little interest in pursuing these demands, often prioritizing tribal or familial interests over the rule of law.

Shakhawan Shorash, BA and Master of political science from Southern University of Denmark and University of Copenhagen. A freelance writer concerning human right, genocide, ethnic conflicts, democratization and similar subjects. Shorash is a long-time contributing senior writer for iKurd.net, See below.

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.