TİKA Continues to Support Social Life in Iraq

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has renovated the Ali Haşim Muhtaroğlu Astroturf Field in Tuz Khurmatu, a Turkmen region in Iraq.

The astroturf field, originally built by Ali Haşim Muhtaroğlu, Vice President of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, in the town of Yengejeh in 2012, had fallen into neglect and disrepair during the Daesh attacks. Turkmen politician Ali Haşim Muhtaroğlu was martyred in a bombing in 2013. With DAESH present in the area, many residents had to abandon the region. TİKA is now contributing to revitalizing social life and encouraging reverse migration by enriching the community and enabling young people to engage in sports.  The opening ceremony was attended by Mr. Akil Ali Haşim Muhtaroğlu, Vice President of ITF (Iraqi Turkmen Front) Selahaddin; TİKA’s Coordinator, Oğuzhan Dinler; Selahaddin Turkmen Education Director and numerous guests.

Speaking at the ceremony, Akil Ali Haşim, Vice President of the ITF, said “We frequently witness the impactful projects TİKA implements across Iraq, especially in the Türkmeneli regions. Unfortunately, this field had been neglected since 2014. They responded promptly to the request from the people of Yengejeh and restored the field to usability as soon as possible.” Haşim noted that the field was originally built by the late Ali Haşim Muhtaroğlu in 2012, who was martyred a year later, and that no other party had attempted repairs until now. He expressed hope that young people will begin using the field and help contribute to the revitalization of the region.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, TİKA’s Coordinator in Iraq; Oğuzhan Dinler said, “With this project, we aim to provide a healthy and safe sports field for our young people while also strengthening social bonds. At TİKA, we prioritize friendship, solidarity and development in our projects around the world.” Dinler highlighted that Iraqi Turkmens are a longstanding community that has significantly enriched the country’s cultural heritage. He thanked the project team and the ITF for their support, expressing hope that the astroturf field will benefit the entire community, especially young people. Following the opening, a football match was held between local teams.