The 2023 unrest in Kirkuk began on August 26 after the transfer of the building in Kirkuk that was used by the forces of the Joint Operational Command in Iraq to the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). On this day the Kurdish community went to a protest in the city of Kirkuk, demanding the opening of the main road from Erbil blocked a few days earlier by the forces of the Iraqi Shiite militia Al-Hashd al-Shaabi. On 27 August the road was blocked by the striking Arab parties.
Among the protesters against the transfer of the building were also Arabs and Turkmen.
During the protests one person was killed and another 11 protesters were injured, also another 40 people were detained. The next day after these events the Iraqi authorities imposed a curfew.
Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shiya al-Sudani instructed to investigate the circumstances of the death of people in clashes between Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen during demonstrations in the city of Kirkuk. Also Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan Masoud Barzani called on the country's authorities to protect the lives of people in the province of Kirkuk.