clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

KRG not seeking war with Baghdad: Ex-Kirkuk governor

October 15, 2017 at 4:03 pm

A support rally for Kurdish independence ahead of the Kurdish referendum on 21 September 2017 [Rudaw English‏/Twitter]

Iraqi Kurdish authorities are not seeking a fight with the central government in Baghdad, the former governor of the oil-rich Kirkuk city said.

“The Kurdish leadership, the Peshmerga forces, the Kirkuk administration and the citizens don’t want to go to war,” Najmiddin Karim told reporters on Sunday, adding:

We will not be the initiators of war but we will defend the people of Kirkuk and all its components

Karim’s remarks came amid military tension in the northern Kirkuk province between the Kurdish Peshmerga forces and federal troops.

Read: Kurds block Iraqi forces access to Kirkuk’s oil fields, airbase

Tension has been on the rise since last month when the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) held a controversial referendum on the independence of the Kurdish region.

The September 25 illegitimate referendum has faced strong opposition from most regional and international actors, including the US, Turkey, and Iran, who warned that the poll would distract from Iraq’s fight against terrorism and further destabilise the region.

The Iraqi parliament has approved a set of measures against the Kurdish region, including the deployment of federal forces in disputed areas, including Kirkuk.

US Defence Secretary: We are working to ensure situation around Kirkuk does not escalate