The country’s residents are gearing up ahead of a referendum on Kurdish independence in Iraq’s northern region. Several thousands of Kurds and Arabs rallied in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk in support of their aspired independence. The northern Iraqi Kurdish region plans to hold the vote on the 25th of September, despite warnings by the Iraqi government in Baghdad, which accuses the Kurdish leadership of “playing with fire” and US declarations that the move could undermine the fight against the Islamic State. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi warned Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani that the referendum would bring about more bloodshed in a country that has been stricken by chaos for years, urging the Kurdish leadership to cancel their bid. The Iraqi Prime Minister stressed, “You (addressing Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani) want to change borders without agreement? You want to re-divide the areas? Life of the people depends on these borders. We do not have a problem if you want to do this through dialogue. Let’s have dialogue, whereas imposing this issue by force would open door wide to bloodshed,” al-Abadi warned in a meeting of his cabinet.
One of the key objectors to a Kurdish referendum is Turkey, which is concerned the Kurdish bid for independence in Iraq would bolster Kurdish militias in southern Turkey with similar aspirations. At the UN General Assembly, Turkish President Erdogan warned the Kurdish leadership in northern Iraq that if they ignore Turkey’s determined stance on the matter, it would lead to a reality in which they would lose the liberties they currently enjoy. President Erdogan warned, “Iraq also needs the compromises to be reached on the basis of territorial integrity and the realization of the ideals to build a common future. Steps such as demands for independence that can cause new crises and conflicts in the region must be avoided. We hereby call on the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government to abort the initiative they have launched in that direction. Ignoring the clear and determined stance of Turkey on this matter may lead to a process that shall deprive the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government even the opportunities they currently enjoy. We all should work on building tranquility, peace, security and stability in the region instead of sparking new conflicts,” the Turkish leader stressed in his address to the United Nations General Assembly.
Along the threats directed at the Kurdish leadership in Iraq, the Turkish military has taken up positions along its southeastern border, directing its weapons toward the country’s Kurdish neighbor. The military’s mobilization of some 100 armored vehicles, mostly tanks, along its border with Iraq, came as the Turkish military started a massive drill near its Habur border gate, which is a crossing point into the Kurdish regions of Iraq.
