These efforts marginalized the Kurdish and Arab populations, creating linguistic and cultural tensions that shaped Kirkuk's demographic and political landscape into the modern era.

[8][9] The Arabization policy involved forced evictions, land confiscation, and changing the administrative boundaries of the Kirkuk region to reduce the proportion of Kurds and other non-Arab populations.

During this period, Kurdish and Turkmen residents were forced to sign "nationality correction" forms, requiring them to identify as Arabs or face expulsion.

[11] Additionally, the government changed the names of neighborhoods and towns to reflect Arab heritage, erasing many elements of Kurdish and Turkmen identity.

[14][15] By 2024, local leaders continued to report ongoing efforts by the Iraqi central government to implement policies resembling the earlier Arabization strategies, causing heightened tensions between the different ethnic groups in the region.