After Yesterday’s unanimous vote on not allowing Kurdistan’s separation by the Iraqi parliament, forces of the so-called Peshmerga militias (armed forces of the Iraqi Kurdistan’s ruling Barazani regime) suddenly started to spread in the areas of of Kirkuk, Daquq and Tuz Khurmatu.

“These forces did not come for the purpose of the referendum, but to suppress the Arabs and Turkmens, as well as to enforce the will of the Barazani regime through arms, tanks and armored vehicles”, said Mohammad Al Bayati, the Turkmen leader of the armed wing of Badr Organization, an Iraqi political party.

Al Bayati called on the Iraqi government to take responsibility for its citizens or resign.

It is noteworthy that in late August, the Council of the Iraqi province of Kirkuk, voted in favor of inclusion of its territory in the forthcoming referendum on the independence of the northern Iraqi region of Kurdistan, scheduled to take place on September 25th.

On Tuesday, the Iraqi parliament voted to reject the referendum in the Kurdistan region, with the Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi committing himself to take all necessary measures that would preserve the unity of the country’s territory.

A number of countries, particularly the United States, Turkey and Iran, condemned the decision of the Kurdistan Regional Authorities to hold the referendum, with Ankara even calling on Tehran to do its best to abandon this initiative, as it may lead to an increase of tensions in the already troubled region.

Translated by Samer Hussein

English: Fortruss

Featured image is from Fort Russ.