On Saturday, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Culture and Youth condemned the attack by supporters of the al-Shorta team on supporters of the Erbil club in Baghdad.

The attack on Friday resulted in several supporters being injured and damage being caused to their transport buses.

“The Ministry of Culture and Youth condemns this irresponsible behavior. Sport is a message of peace, harmony, sportsmanship, and mutual respect, not violence or the promotion of racism, which can have dangerous consequences for sports and social relations,” the Ministry said.

“We stress that such behavior must not be allowed to contribute to the emergence and spread of hate speech, hostility, and tensions. Sport should instead serve to strengthen the spirit of unity, coexistence, and cultural ties.”

The KRG Ministry of Culture and Youth also underlined that the Kurdistan Region has always been a peaceful home and a major center for hosting championships and sporting activities at both the Iraqi and international levels across various sports.

“We also call on the Disciplinary Committee of the Iraqi Football Association, in accordance with the regulations of the Iraqi Stars League, to ban the offending club from having its supporters attend its upcoming matches,” the Ministry concluded.