SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq — Thousands of dunams of wheat and barley crops were torched this month in Kirkuk, Ninevah, Salahuddin and Diyala provinces, adding agony to the harsh lives of Iraqi farmers and raising the question of who is really behind the fires.
The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for 13 fires, and described the fields as being owned by “infidels.” However, some Kurds accuse Arabs in the disputed areas between Baghdad and Erbil of incinerating Kurdish farmers' fields. Erbil is the seat of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
