Omed Khoshnaw reportedly removed as governor, KDP denies

Omed Khoshnaw reportedly removed as governor of Erbil — Erbil governor Omed Khoshnaw, Iraqi Kurdistan, August 1, 2026. Photo: Khoshnaw’s Press Office/FB/via iKurd.net.

KDP denies reports of replacing Erbil’s governor

ERBIL, Iraqi Kurdistan region,— Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw has been removed from his post again, NRT TV reported Sunday.

Zana Khalid will take over the position, the station said, citing information it had obtained.

iKurd.net could not independently verify these claims.

The move follows events from April 2026, when Khoshnaw was reportedly disciplined for several days and pulled from his role after pictures of Nechirvan Barzani were hung in public spaces around Erbil.

Hêmen Qadir was named governor at that time at that time. During that period, Khoshnaw made repeated attempts to secure a meeting with Massoud Barzani, though his early efforts failed, according to the report.

He later submitted a request through Barzani’s office by phone, and after continued persistence, the meeting was granted. Sources said Barzani agreed to let Khoshnaw temporarily resume his post, on the condition that he would eventually resign.

His public praise of Masrour Barzani and a poster campaign supporting him were not enough to save his position this time.

Khoshnaw ultimately became caught up in the internal rivalry within the Kurdistan Democratic Party, or KDP, between Masrour Barzani and Nechirvan Barzani, according to the report.

He has now been removed, with Zana Khalid named as his successor according to report.

Khoshnaw is widely seen as aligned with Nechirvan Barzani’s camp within the party. He reportedly worked to show loyalty to Masrour Barzani in hopes of holding onto his job, publicly praising him on multiple occasions.

Those efforts did not appear to work. Masrour Barzani was said to be firm in not wanting anyone tied to Nechirvan Barzani’s faction to hold the Erbil governorship.

Meanwhile, Khoshnaw’s own Facebook page indicated he was still acting as governor. Posts showed him visiting the Iranian consulate in Erbil on Sunday, August 2, 2026.

The leadership change reflects the broader power struggle inside the KDP, the report said. Zana Khalid is regarded as close to Masrour Barzani and was appointed based on that faction’s decision.

KDP denies rumors of a change in Erbil’s leadership

The Erbil Governorate Organization Office of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has denied reports circulating on several television channels and social media platforms claiming that Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw and Zana Mala Khalid, head of the party’s Branch 2, would switch positions, according to BasNews, a news website affiliated with Masrour Barzani.

In a statement issued on the matter, the office described the reports as false and said no such decision has been made.

“The reports published today by several television channels and social media pages about changes involving the respected Governor of Erbil and the head of the party’s Branch 2 are untrue,” the statement said. “We would like to clarify that no decision of this kind has been made.”

Analysts describe Massoud Barzani as the most influential figure in Kurdish politics, operating largely behind the scenes. His son, Masrour Barzani, serves as prime minister of the Kurdistan region, while his nephew, Nechirvan Barzani, holds the presidency.