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Kurdish regional government breaks all ties with Iraq

Politics Materials 10 July 2014 14:36 (UTC +04:00)
Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq has broken all relations with Baghdad,
Kurdish regional government breaks all ties with Iraq

Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq has broken all relations with Baghdad, Turkish Milliyet newspaper said on July 10.

Reportedly, this happened after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki accused the KRG of supporting militants.

Arbil [the KRG capital] also urged Kurdish diplomats representing the autonomy in the central government of Iraq, to leave Baghdad.

Earlier, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki accused the KRG Head Massoud Barzani of supporting terrorists.

Maliki said Barzani's comments that "currently everything in Iraq is different" show that the autonomy has close ties with the militants of the terrorist organization known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, aka ISIS).

Following the capture of several Iraqi provinces by the ISIL militants relations between Baghdad and Arbil have markedly deteriorated. Barzani accused the Iraqi PM of being guilty in the developments taking place in the country.

On July 7, Barzani said Iraq is on the verge of a split, and the central government headed by the PM Nouri al-Maliki is not controlling the situation.

He added that sooner or later the Kurdish autonomy will declare its independence, as it is the Kurds' right in Iraq, but at the same time they will not make claims for other lands in the region.

Earlier, Barzani also said the KRG is ready to hold a referendum on the status of the city of Kirkuk.

He said that at the moment Kirkuk's status is under dispute, and, according to Iraqi law, a referendum on the city's status should has been held in 2007.

Kirkuk is a disputed territory between Kurdish autonomy and the central government of Iraq. The referendum was never held for political reasons.

"Kirkuk is a historic city, which has faced much suffering. We promise that the future of Kirkuk will be lighter thanks to the Peshmerga [special forces subordinate to the Kurdish administration]," Barzani said.

It was also reported that the KRG is ready to hold a referendum on the autonomy's independence.

The militants of ISIL took control over the Iraqi town of Tal Afar on June 16 and the city's military airport also came under their control on June 22.

It was reported on June 25 that the Sunni groups in Iraq are taking up arms against the ISIL militants.

In particular, the 1920 Revolution Brigades group is armed against the militants. The 1920 Revolution Brigades group actively fought against Al-Qaeda terrorists in Iraq in 2007.

The activists of the Iraqi Islamic National Resistance, the Islamic Army of Iraq, Sunni Mujahideen Army are also armed.

Earlier, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki turned down the proposal to create a transitional government with the Sunni insurgents that are not included in the ISIL.

On July 29, the ISIL announced about creation of an Islamic caliphate, and called on jihadists from around the world to take the oath of allegiance to it.

ISIL also renamed itself to the "Islamic State".

Edited by S.I.

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