Erbil Governor Omed Xoshnaw announced that authorities have canceled the planned Syrian products exhibition. The decision follows deadly attacks on Kurdish-majority neighborhoods in Aleppo.
The fair was scheduled to open on January 26 at the Erbil International Fairground. “The exhibition will not take place,” Xoshnaw said, citing the recent violence in Syria as the main reason.
The Syrian Arab Army attacked the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsood on Tuesday. The strikes killed dozens, injured many, and forced tens of thousands to flee. After six days of resistance by Kurdish forces, locally known as “Asayish,” the army and allied jihadists took control of the areas.
Xoshnaw, Erbil Governor noted that this is not the first time officials postponed the event. They had previously delayed it because the Kurdistan flag did not appear in its social media promotions. Officials later corrected that issue. “This time, due to the events in Syria, the exhibition will not open under any circumstances,” Xoshnaw said.
The Damascus fair affairs body promoted the exhibition on December 30. The ad called it the “largest exhibition of Syrian products” and showed the Erbil Citadel with Iraqi and Syrian flags. It did not include the Kurdistan flag or mention the Kurdistan Region.
Kurdish officials reacted angrily. Xoshnaw and Mohammed Shukri, chairman of the Kurdistan Region Investment Board, warned the fair would not proceed unless the Kurdistan flag appeared. After a report, Syria’s fair affairs body deleted the post and later shared a revised version. The new image placed the Kurdistan flag between the Iraqi and Syrian flags. Syrian authorities have not explained why they originally omitted the flag.
