Feylis Tribe ¿ Feyli Kurds

Beginning in the nineteenth century, Feylis Kurds began moving westwards from the Iran-Iraq border region, settling in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities. Due to their connections with trade routes between Baghdad and Iran, they flourished as traders, becoming central players in Baghdad¿s commercial life. Following the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 and the departure of many Jewish trading families, Feylis Kurd merchants moved in to fill the gap, quickly rising to the ranks of the middle and upper classes. They came to control many of the main bazaars in Baghdad, including Shorja and Jamila markets. Despite their economic and social preeminence, Feylis Kurds faced official discrimination from early on. Historically, they had tended to be viewed as Persians, and some had acquired Persian nationality as a means of avoiding conscription in the Ottoman army. In 1924, an Iraqi Nationality Law was introduced, which distinguished between descendants of Ottoman citizens, who were considered ¿original¿ Iraqis and automatically granted Iraqi nationality, and citizens of Persian origin, who had to acquire Iraqi nationality.