No information on a Kurdish militia called Harqi (Harki, Herki, Harkki, Harqees) allied could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

However, a profile on the Herki (Harki) Kurds published on the Bethany World Prayer Center Website states that:

The Herki Kurd are a confederacy of tribes of Northern Kurdistan. They live primarily in the mountainous area where the borders of Turkey, Iran, and Iraq meet, near Lake Urmia and the town of Reza'iyeh. These various tribes and clans are distinguished by the languages they speak. The Herki language is possibly a dialect of Kurmanji. Apart from the 20,400 Herki Kurd of Iraq, other large communities can also be found in Iran and Turkey.

A paper on the Kurdistan economy prepared at the end of the 1990s and published on the Washington Kurdish Institute Website states that:

The final splitting up of Kurdistan and closing of frontiers, particularly between Turkey and Iran ... led to the splitting of tribes between two or three countries, e.g. the Harki between Iraq, Iran and Turkey; the Jaffs between Iraq and Iran; and the Shikak between Iran and Turkey (Jaff circa 1998).

In December 1994 fighting erupted between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by Massoud Barzani (FOTW 30 Nov. 2001), and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), led by Jalal Talabani (FOTW 30 Nov. 2001) over a land dispute between the Barzanis and the Harkis who were known for their support to the PUK (Gunter 1999, 78-79).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Bethany World Prayer Center. 1997. "Prayer Profile: The Herki Kurd of Iraq." http://www.bethany.com/profiles/p_code/947.html [Accessed 13 Feb. 2002]

Flags of the World (FOTW).30 November 2001. "Iraqi Kurdistan: Political Parties." Information from 27 Sept. 1997. http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/krd%Diq.html [Accessed 13 Feb. 2002]

Gunter, Michael M. 1999. The Kurdish Predicament in Iraq: A Political Analysis. New York: St Martin's Press.

Jaff, Dr. Akram. Circa 1998. "The Fractured Economy of Kurdistan." Washington Kurdish Institute. http://www.kurd.org/about/economy.htm [Accessed 13 Feb. 2002]

IRB databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

Internet sources including:

Area Handbooks - Iraq

Ethnologue

Ghareeb, Edmund. 1981. The Kurdish Question in Iraq. Syracuse, NY: Suracuse University Press

McDowall. 1996. The Kurds. London: Minority Rights Group International

World Directory of Minorities. London: Minority Rights Group International

World News Connection (WNC)