Baghdad Threatens To Resume Military Operations Against Kurds

Reuters: Iraq threatens to resume military operations against Kurds

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi forces threatened on Wednesday to resume operations to capture northern Kurdish-held territory after accusing authorities there of delaying handing over control of Iraq’s borders with Turkey, Iran and Syria.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Friday declared a pause in an offensive that began on Oct. 16 to take over areas claimed both by his government and the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

Abadi ordered economic and military retaliation against the KRG after Iraqi Kurds voted for independence in September in a referendum that Baghdad declared illegal.

He said the truce was meant to allow Iraqi troops to deploy without hindrance in the disputed areas and at the international borders.

Kurdish officials said on Tuesday they were willing to allow Iraqi “oversight” at the border but said the KRG had to remain in control of crossings into the Kurdish region.

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Update: Iraq says negotiations with Kurds have failed (Washington Post/AP)

WNU Editor: Baghdad has made many mistakes in the past few years .... but starting a civil war with the Kurds will be one of its worse.

Iraqi Kurdish Leader Barzani Resigns After Independence Vote Backfires

Reuters: Kurdish leader Barzani resigns after independence vote backfires

ERBIL/BAGHDAD Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani said he would give up his position as president on Nov. 1, after an independence referendum he championed backfired and triggered a regional crisis.

There was high drama at the Kurdish parliament, which was stormed by armed protesters as it met to approve the veteran leader’s resignation as Kurdish president. Some MPs were barricaded in their offices on Sunday evening.

In a televised address, his first since Iraqi forces launched a surprise offensive to recapture Kurdish-held territory on Oct. 16, Barzani confirmed that he would not extend his presidential term after Nov. 1 “under any conditions”.

“I am the same Masoud Barzani, I am a Peshmerga (Kurdish fighter) and will continue to help my people in their struggle for independence,” said Barzani, who has campaigned for Kurdish self-determination for nearly four decades.

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WNU Editor: He sounds bitter .... "Nobody stood with the Kurds" says bitter Barzani (Reuters). His supporters doubly so .... Protesters Storm Kurdistan Parliament After Barzani Announces Resignation (US News and World Report/Reuters)

More News On Iraqi Kurdish Leader Barzani Resigning After Independence Vote Backfires

Clashes around parliament as Iraqi Kurdish leader steps down -- Washington Post
Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani to step down -- BBC News
Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani to step down as president of KRG after referendum backfires -- ABC Online
Iraqi Kurdistan President Masoud Barzani to step down -- DW
Iraqi Kurdish leader to step down over fallout from independence poll -- The Guardian
President of Iraq's Kurdish region resigns, leaving many questions in his wake -- L.A. Times
Kurdish President Barzani To Step Down Amid Fallout From Independence Vote -- NPR

Iraq Orders 24-Hr Ceasefire With Kurds

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Reuters: Iraq orders truce with Kurds to allow peaceful deployment at border crossings

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered a 24-hour suspension to military operations against Kurdish forces in northern Iraq, to allow for the peaceful deployment of Iraqi troops at the border crossings with the Kurdistan region.

A Kurdish spokesman earlier said the two sides reached an agreement on Friday to stop fighting which broke out on Oct. 16, after Iraqi forces seized the oil-city of Kirkuk.

Abadi ordered the offensive on Kirkuk and other Kurdish-held territory in retaliation to the Sept. 25 vote for independence in a referendum organised by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) - a drive that was all but crushed by the surprise attack.

The 24-hour truce “should allow a joint technical committeee ... to work on the deployment of federal Iraqi forces in all disputed areas, including Fish-Khabur, and the international border”, Abadi said in a statement.

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More News On The Conflict Between Iraq And The Kurds In Iraq

Iraq halts troops tasked to retake land from Kurdish control -- ABC News/AP
Iraqi, Kurdish forces reach cease-fire after days of violence -- UPI
US brokers 24-hour ceasefire in Iraqi Kurdistan -- Financial Times
US-led coalition says no ceasefire reached between Baghdad and KRG -- Daily Sabah
Coalition incorrectly announces Baghdad, Kurd cease-fire -- Daily News/AP
US calls for dialogue in Iraqi-Kurdish dispute -- Al Jazeera
Peshmerga retreat amid international efforts to defuse tensions -- Al Arabiya
Iraqi Kurds Feel ‘Abandoned’ by the US, as Israel Offers Support -- Algemeiner
Infographic: Control Over Iraq's Disputed Territories -- Stratfor

Iraqi Kurds Are Facing A Financial Crisis With The Loss Of Major Oil Fields To Baghdad

Members of Iraqi security forces are seen at an oil field in Dibis area on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq, Oct. 17, 2017. Reuters

Reuters: Fear of Iranian general left Iraqi Kurdish oil fields deserted

BAGHDAD/LONDON (Reuters) - When the Iraqi army and Iranian-backed Shi‘ite militia entered a key oil processing facility in Iraq’s north to retake it from Kurdish Peshmerga forces last week, the installation was deserted and its alarm bells ringing.

Engineers and workers on the facility, which processes oil from two major fields in the Kirkuk area of predominantly Sunni Kurdistan, had fled, fearing the military advance.

“No one wanted to risk their life and decided to evacuate as stories about the Shi‘ite militia and Qassem Soleimani were spreading fast,” said a senior Kurdish oil industry source, referring to the head of foreign operations for Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards. The source declined to be identified.

Iraqi engineers arrived to the sound of alarm bells warning about system malfunctions, prompting them to immediately shut down wells. Now, they need passwords and expertise from their Kurdish counterparts to restore oil output fully.

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WNU Editor: Losing $200 million per week in lost revenues will hurt the Kurdistan government .... so to put it bluntly .... the Kurds overreached and it is now going to hurt. But they are not the only going ones who are in financial pain .... according to the above Reuters post, trading companies loaned billions to the Kurdish government based on future oil deliveries .... that is now gone.

Iraqi Kurds Have Offered To Freeze Their Independence Plans In Return For Having Talks With Baghdad

Bloomberg: Iraqi Kurds Offer to Freeze Independence Referendum Results

* KRG also proposes an immediate ceasefire, talks with Baghdad
* Offer comes after clashes betweenn Kurds, Iraqi troops

Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government said it’s prepared to freeze the results of last month’s independence referendum, which triggered deadly clashes with government troops and hurt oil exports.

The KRG also proposed an immediate cease-fire and talks with the central government in Baghdad “on the basis of the constitution.”

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WNU Editor: The Iraqi Kurds have blinked .... and for good reason. They already have a great deal of autonomy, and while I understand that they want more, the powers that be are not ready for that type of independence. The big question that remains unanswered is .... what will Baghdad do? Will they accept this offer, or will they ignore it and send in the Shiite militias precipitating another war.

More News On Reports That The Iraqi Kurds Have Offered To Freeze Their Independence Plans

Kurds offer to suspend independence drive, seek talks with Baghdad -- Reuters
Iraqi Kurds propose halt on independence plans to prevent further violence -- CNN
Iraqi Kurds offer to 'freeze' independence referendum result -- BBC
Iraq's Kurds Offer to Freeze Results of Independence Vote -- US News and World Report/AP
Kurds offer to freeze independence vote to end fighting with Iraq -- The Telegraph
Kurds to 'Freeze' Independence Drive After Losing Ground to Iraqi Forces -- Wall Street Journal

Iraq's Shiite Militias Have Launched A New Offensive Against The Kurds

Kurdish Peshmerga military vehicles are seen during a battle with Islamic State militants at Jarbuah village near Bashiqa near Mosul, Iraq October 28, 2016. Ahmed Jadallah, Reuters

CNBC: Iraq paramilitaries battle Kurds in push towards Turkish border oil hub

Iraqi pro-government paramilitaries launched an offensive against Kurdish troops on Tuesday near the Turkish frontier, pushing towards a strategic border crossing and oil export pipeline hub that Baghdad says must come under its control.

The Iraqi government has transformed the balance of power in the north of the country since launching a campaign last week to seize back territory from the Kurds, who govern an autonomous region of three northern provinces and had also seized a swathe of other territory in northern Iraq.

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WNU Editor: This has the potential of descending into all out war, and this remark from the Iraqi PM is destroying any chances of reconciliation .... Abadi tells Tillerson: PMF is hope of Iraq and region (Al Jazeera).

Iraqi Forces And Shiite Militias Have Seized Most Of Kirkuk From The Kurds

Reuters: Iraqi forces complete Kirkuk province takeover after clashes with Kurds

BAGHDAD/ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi forces on Friday took control of the last district in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk still in the hands of Kurdish Peshmerga fighters following a three-hour battle, security sources said.

The district of Altun Kupri, or Perde in Kurdish, lies on the road between the city of Kirkuk - which fell to Iraqi forces on Monday - and Erbil, capital of the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq that voted in a referendum last month to secede from Iraq against Baghdad’s wishes.

A force made up of U.S-trained Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service units, Federal Police and Iranian-backed fighters known as Popular Mobilisation began their advance on Altun Kupri at 7:30 a.m. (0430 GMT), said an Iraqi military spokesman.

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WNU Editor: Iran's fingerprints are all over this new conflict .... Iran's Guards flex muscle in Middle East despite Trump warning (Reuters). More here .... Don't sacrifice our Kurdish allies to Iranian hegemony (Rebeccah L. Heinrichs, The Hill).

More News On The Growing Fight Between Iraqi Forces And Shiite Militias Against The Kurds

Iraq Kurds: Army claims full control of Kirkuk province -- BBC
Clashes as Iraq army takes last Kurd-held area of Kirkuk province -- AFP
Rising tensions escalate into combat between Iraqi and Kurdish forces, allies in the fight against Islamic State -- L.A. Times
Iraqi and Kurdish forces exchange fire over shared border as tensions rise -- The Telegraph
Iraqi forces clash with Kurdish fighters in town north of Kirkuk -- CNN
Iraqi forces clash with Kurds moving closer to regional capital Erbil (VIDEO) -- RT

Iraqi Forces Continue To Retake Territory From Kurdish Forces

BBC: Kirkuk: Iraqi forces seize largest oilfields near city

Iraqi government forces have taken control of the two largest oilfields near the disputed city of Kirkuk after Kurdish forces left the area.

Iraqi troops began a takeover of Kirkuk on Monday.

The actions come three weeks after a Kurdish referendum on independence, which was declared illegitimate by the central Iraqi government.

Voters in the Kurdish autonomous region and Kurdish-held areas overwhelmingly backed secession.

On Tuesday, Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani released a statement calling for peace and pledging to keep working towards independence.

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WNU Editor: Iraqi forces and Shiite militias continue to take territory that Kurdish forces have been present in since the Iraqi Army fled when Islamic State Forces began their offensive 3 years ago .... Iraqi forces drive Kurdish fighters out of town of Sinjar (The Guardian). The U.S. has issued a warning .... Pentagon says Iraqi train-and-equip mission could end if attacks on Kurds continue (Defense News), but President Trump has made it clear that the U.S. is not going to take sides .... Trump Says He Won't Take Sides As Iraqi Forces Oust Kurds From Kirkuk (Radio Free Europe).

More News On Iraqi Forces Continuing To Retake Territory From Kurdish Forces

Iraqi forces take control of all oil fields operated by state-owned North Oil in Kirkuk -- Reuters
Iraq forces take two key Kirkuk oil field from Kurds -- AFP
Kurdish forces pullout from Khanaqin area on Iraq-Iran border, security sources say -- Reuters
Baghdad: Iraqi forces in full control of Kirkuk -- Al Jazeera
Iraqis seize military base, oil field from Kurdish forces near contested Kirkuk -- Washington Post
Iraqi forces take Kirkuk, lower Kurdistan flag -- RUDAW
US military rushes to defuse looming crisis in Kirkuk after Iraqi army advances -- The Guardian

Iraqi Forces Say They Have Seized Taken Key Sites In Kirkuk From The Kurds

Al Jazeera: Kirkuk offensive: Thousands flee as Iraqi army advances

Thousands of people are leaving the Iraqi city of Kirkuk as the Iraqi army advances on Kurdish military positions around the city.

Federal forces, backed by Shia militia, have launched a major offensive over two fronts on Monday, aimed at retaking the Kurdish-held city.

Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford, reporting from the outskirts of Kirkuk, said an increasing number of Kirkuk residents were trying to flee.

"Thousands of cars are filling the roads leading out of Kirkuk and the numbers are increasing. There is a lot of fear in the city [due to] the Iraqi army's advance."

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WNU Editor: That was fast. There was some resistance, but this is probably the reason why the Iraqi army was successful .... Peshmerga withdraws from two regions in Kirkuk, as Iraqi troops advance (Iraqi News).

Update: Iraqi forces taking over Kirkuk ‘a declaration of war’ – Kurdish Peshmerga (RT)

More News On Iraq's Military Operation To Seize Key Sites In Kirkuk From The Kurds

Iraqi forces seize Kirkuk from Kurds in bold advance -- Reuters
Kurds withdraw as Iraqi forces push into disputed Kirkuk -- AP
Iraqi forces retake airport, military base, oil field from Kurds in Kirkuk -- France 24
Iraqi forces say in control of roads, infrastructure near Kirkuk -- AFP
Iraqi forces remove Kurdish flag from Kirkuk governorate building: residents -- Reuters
Kirkuk: Iraqi forces capture key sites from Kurds -- BBC
Iraqi Forces Say They've Taken Key Sites in Kirkuk -- New York Times
Iraqi Forces Begin 'Major, Multi-Pronged' Attack on Kurds to Retake Kirkuk -- AP
Clashes between Iraqi, Kurdish troops close to Kirkuk city -- AFP
Iraqi forces clash with Kurds in operation to 'impose security' on Kirkuk -- The Guardian
Iraqi troops advance on Kurdish-controlled oil fields in Kirkuk -- DW
Iraq Seizes Oil Fields as Fighting Flares Over Kurds' State Push -- Bloomberg
Kirkuk: A crisis waiting to happen, with consequences for region -- Tim Lister, CNN

Iraqi Forces Have Launced A Military Operation To Seize Kurdish-Held Oil Fields In Kirkuk

Washington Post: Iraqi forces launch operation for Kurdish-held oil fields, military base

BAGHDAD – Iraqi forces advanced towards oil fields and a military base near the Kurdish city of Kirkuk in the early hours of Monday morning, a Kurdish official and Iraqi officers said.

Two officers with Iraq’s counterterrorism forces, which trained closely with the United States, said their forces were mobilizing as part of the operation. Kurdish peshmerga troops who are defending the area are also U.S.-armed and trained.

No resistance was reported as the operation was launched, and Iraqi troops said they had been instructed to avoid violence.

Kurdistan’s vote for independence last month has sharpened long-standing disputes between Baghdad and Kurdistan’s semi-autonomous government in the north over land and oil.

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WNU Editor: Some are speculating that Iranian-backed militias are pushing Baghdad to launch an offensive against the Kurds ....Iran likely to test US reaction by ordering PMU assault on Kurdish forces in Iraq's Kirkuk province (Janes). On a side note .... before today's Iraqi military operation, did Iran's Soleimani go to Kurdish controlled Iraq to deliver an ultimatum/warning? ..... Iran's Soleimani arrives in Kurdish region for talks about crisis with Baghdad (Reuters).

More News On Iraqi Forces Seizing Kurdish-Held Oilfields In Kirkuk

Iraqi forces take control of 'vast areas' in Kirkuk region - state TV -- Reuters
Iraqi forces launch 'major' Kirkuk operation -- Al Jazeera
Shots Fired in Flashpoint City as Iraqi, Kurdish Forces Stand Off in Kirkuk -- VOA
Iraq says Kurds brought PKK fighters to Kirkuk in 'declaration of war' -- Al-Arabiya
Baghdad accuses Kurdish forces of making a 'declaration of war' -- The Telegraph
Iraq accuses Kurds of 'declaration of war' in Kirkuk -- Al Jazeera
UPDATED: Iran shuts borders with Kurdistan Region -- Rudaw

Iraqi Kurds Deploy Thousands Of Fighters To Kirkuk To Deter Any Iraqi Attempt To Retake The City

BBC: Iraqi Kurds send reinforcements to Kirkuk amid army 'threats'

Thousands of Kurdish fighters have been deployed to Iraq's disputed Kirkuk region, officials say, amid fears that government forces want to retake it.

The autonomous Kurdistan Region's Vice-President, Kosrat Rasul, said it was responding to "threats" by the army.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said he would not use the army against Iraqi citizens, but convoys were seen heading towards Kirkuk late on Thursday.

The move comes two weeks after the Kurds held an independence referendum.

Voters living in Kurdish-controlled areas - including Kirkuk - voted overwhelmingly in favour of secession, prompting calls from Kurdish officials for negotiations.

But Mr Abadi said the referendum was illegal and demanded it be annulled.

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WNU Editor: Iraq is denying reports that they are going to storm Kirkuk .... Iraq dismisses claim its army is preparing to retake Kirkuk from Kurds as 'fake news' (International Business Times).

More News On Reports That Iraqi Kurds Are Deploying Thousands Of Fighters To Kirkuk To Deter Any Iraqi Attempt To Retake The City

Kurdish VP: Thousands of troops sent to Kirkuk to face 'Iraqi threat' -- Reuters
Fearing attack by Iraqi forces, Kurds take precautions -- France 24
Kurds on high alert as Iraqi forces mass near Kirkuk -- Al Jazeera
Thousands of Kurdish troops sent to Kirkuk to face 'Iraqi threat' -- The Telegraph
Peshmerga Command: ‘Foreign-backed' Iraqi army, Shiite forces prepare to attack Kirkuk -- RUDAW
Iraqi forces demand Kurdish troops' withdrawal from Kirkuk area -- Washington Post
Kirkuk residents anxious as Iraq forces, Kurds mobilise -- Yahoo News
Iraq on Edge as Kurdish, Iraqi Forces Face-off in Kirkuk -- VOA
If Iraqi-Kurdish tension blows up, Kirkuk will be the fuse -- CBS

Iran Deploys Tanks To The Iraqi-Kurd Border

The Warzone/The Drive: Iranian Tanks Roll Up to The Iraqi Border As Embargo of Kurds Expands

Iraqi Kurdistan's neighbors have rushed to block the independence push, while the US and others downplay the situation.

Iran has moved tanks and artillery up to the border with Iraqi Kurdistan, close enough to the boundary that they are visible from the other side. The move is the latest in a string of increasingly threatening responses to the semi-autonomous region’s decision to vote in favor of independence, which has drawn widespread condemnation from national governments in the region and failed to win unequivocal support from many of the Kurd’s powerful western allies, including the United States.

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More News On Iran Deploys Tanks To The Iraqi-Kurd Border

Iran sends tanks to border with Iraq's Kurdish region, Kurdish official says -- Reuters
Iran and Iraq Hold Joint Drill Near Iraqi Kurdish Region -- US News and World Report/AP
Iran, Iraq hold exercises near border with Kurdistan -- Arab News/AFP
Iran, Iraq Hold Joint Drill Near Iraqi Kurdish Region -- RFE
Iran, Iraq hold exercises near Iraqi Kurdistan -- The Times of Israel
Iran launches military drill with Iraqi Shiite militia on KRG border -- RUDAW
Iran, Iraq Hold Joint War Game -- Tasnim News Agency

U.S. State Department Urges Both Iran And Iraq To Show Restraint With The Kurds

Washington Examiner: 'Cautious' State Department asks Iran, Iraq to avoid 'violence' with Kurds

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's team on Thursday discouraged Iran and Iraq from coordinating military operations against a key U.S. partner in northern Iraq.

"We would oppose any violence if that were to take place," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in response to reports that this kind of coordination was being considered. "We hope our voices will be heard in a very strong fashion that we oppose violence on any side of this."

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WNU Editor: The Iraqis are too weak to take on the Kurds militarily, and the Iranians are focused on the war in Syria. For now .... there will be no Iranian or Iraqi "violence" against the Kurds.

Regional Powers Move To Restrict The Iraqi Kurds Following Their Independence Vote

VOA: Regional Powers Move to Restrict Kurds Following Referendum Vote

Iran, Iraq and Turkey – three countries with large Kurdish populations – are imposing restrictions on Iraqi Kurds following the Kurdish independence referendum this week that passed with more than 92 percent of the vote.

Iraq’s central government is making preparations for its military to seize control of international borders along the northern Kurdish region in an attempt to isolate the Kurds from other countries.

In Iran, armed forces spokesman Masoud Jazayeri told reporters Saturday his country would team up with Iraq's central government for military exercises at several crossings in the border region to stem any other potential separatist movements in the region.

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WNU Editor: Iraqi-Kurdistan will survive.

More News On Regional Powers Moving To Restrict The Iraqi Kurds Following Their Independence Vote

Kurdish referendum triggers retaliation from Iraq, Turkey -- CBS
Iraq's Government Moves to Punish Iraqi Kurdistan for Vote -- Voice of America
Iraqi PM presses case for Baghdad to receive Kurdistan oil revenue -- Reuters
Iran slaps fuel trade embargo on Iraqi Kurdistan -- New China
Iraq, Iran to conduct joint military exercise on KRG-Iran border -- RUDAW
Iran, Iraq plan joint drills over Kurdish independence vote -- Daily Mail/AFP
Post-referendum: Kurds in Iran demand rights as regime cracks down -- The Jerusalem Post
Erdogan says Iraqi Kurdish authorities "will pay price" for vote -- The Nation
Kurdistan parliament in session to discuss Iraqi imposed measures against Erbil -- Rudaw

Iraqi Kurds Back Independence By 92% in Referendum

Al Jazeera: Iraqi Kurds overwhelmingly back split from Baghdad

As Erbil-Baghdad tensions soar, regional election officials say 92 percent of voters choose 'Yes' in non-binding poll.

Iraqi Kurds overwhelmingly voted in favour of a split from Iraq, election officials said on Wednesday, as tensions soared between Erbil and Baghdad following a contested referendum.

The "Yes" vote accounted for 92 percent of those who took part in Monday's poll.

Turnout was 72 percent of the more than five million eligible voters, according to the electoral commission.

Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid, reporting from Erbil, said the announcement was in line with people's expectations in the region.

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More News On Iraqi Kurds Backing Independence By 92% in Referendum

Iraq’s Kurds say 92% voted in favor of independence -- AP
Iraq’s Kurds vote 'yes' to independent state in referendum – official results -- DW
Iraqi Kurds back independence in referendum -- BBC
Massive 'yes' vote in Iraqi Kurd independence referendum -- AFP
Over 92% of Iraq's Kurds vote for independence -- The Guardian
Kurds Back Independence by 92% in Referendum; Iraq May Send Troops -- New York Times
Baghdad piles pressure on Iraqi Kurds to reverse overwhelming independence vote -- Reuters
Iraq PM demands annulment of Kurdish independence vote -- AFP
Iraqi PM: Kurds must hand over airports or face embargo -- Al Jazeera
Iraqi Kurds under pressure after independence vote -- Al Jazeera
Iran, Turkey vow to stand with Iraq against Kurdish independence -- Al Jazeera
Russia warns Iraq, Kurds not to destabilize Middle East after Kurdish vote -- Reuters

Iraqi Kurds Count Referendum Votes Amid Celebrations As Neighboring Countries Condemn The Vote

Bloomberg: Iraq's Kurds Await Backlash After Millions Vote on Statehood

* Turkey hints at blocking oil exports Kurds need for revenue
* Kurdish officials not expected to push for immediate secession

Millions of Iraq’s Kurds voted in an historic referendum on independence on Monday, defying the dire warnings from neighbors as well as the government in Baghdad -- who must now decide how far to retaliate to an expected landslide in favor of secession.

Though the ballot was limited to areas under the control of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq, the repercussions will be felt farther afield. More than 30 million Kurds are dispersed across the borders with Syria, Iran and Turkey with separatist ambitions of their own. Brent crude climbed to a two-year high on Monday amid concern that a backlash against the vote may disrupt Kurdish oil supplies.

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More News On Yesterday's Kurdish Independence Vote And Reaction To It

High turnout in Iraqi Kurdish independence vote despite pressure -- Deutsche Welle
Big 'yes' vote expected for Iraqi Kurd independence -- Gulf Times
Iraq refuses talks with Kurds about referendum results -- Aljazeera
Iraqi troops join Turkish military exercise near border -- Daily Mail/AFP
Iraq gives Kurdistan three days to hand over control of airports to avoid embargo -- Middle East Eye
Iraq threatens flight ban after Kurdish independence vote -- SFChronicle/AP
Iraqi Soldiers Join Turkish Exercises Near Shared Border: Witness -- U.S. News & World Report
Turkey's Erdogan Says Kurdish Referendum 'Treachery'; Iraq Rules Out Talks On Independence -- Radio Free Europe
Erdogan warns of 'ethnic war' risk over Iraqi Kurdish independence -- Yahoo7 News
Erdoğan warns KRG of strict economic, political measures after referendum -- Daily Sabah
Top Iranian general says Kurdish referendum an Israeli 'plot' -- The Times of Israel

What Has Been The Middle East's Reaction To The Referendum In Iraqi Kurdistan?

Daily News (Egypt): Regional threats mount as Kurdistan holds referendum

Iraq, Turkey aim at preventing Kurdistan’s oil exports

Thousands of Kurds casted their votes on Monday in a referendum aimed at separating Iraqi Kurdistan from Iraq. According to the Kurdistan government, there were 12,000 polling stations, including in disputed areas.

In a press conference Monday, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani said, “The referendum is not a threat to Turkey or any neighbouring countries, and it is a peaceful and democratic process.”

But in light of previous international and regional opposition to the referendum, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned on Monday that his country might take a military action in Northern Iraq if the referendum resulted in threatening Turkey. He also announced closing the crossings to prevent Kurdistan from exporting oil.

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WNU Editor: The U.S. is trying to satisfy all sides .... Refusing to Back Kurdish Independence, White House Hopes for 'Unified Iraq' (Haaretz). The Gulf states have also been low key.

Reactions From The Middle East On The Referendum In Iraqi Kurdistan

Iraq’s Kurds vote on independence, raising regional fears -- AP
Kirkuk Kurds hail independence vote, but Arabs, Turkmen wary -- The Times of Israel
Iraq, Turkey Threaten Kurdistan's Oil Boom After Controversial Independence Vote -- Wall Street Journal

Iraqi Reaction

Iraq parliament demands troops go to areas disputed with Kurds. -- AFP
Baghdad Asks World To Stop Buying Kurdish Oil -- OilPrice.com
Iraqi MP: Like Israel, Kurdistan will cause years of war -- Rudaw
Iraq takes control of borders ahead of Kurdish independence vote -- Middle East Monitor

Syrian Reaction

Damascus rejects Iraqi Kurdish independence referendum -- Reuters
Syria Says Recognizes Only A Unified Iraq -- Tasnim News Agency

Turkish Reaction

Erdogan threatens military action over Iraqi Kurdish referendum -- The Times of Israel
Turkey tightens border as Kurds vote in independence ballot -- The Australian
Turkey Warns Iraq Kurds It Can 'Close the Valves' on Oil Exports -- Bloomberg
Turkey's Erdogan threatens to cut off oil flow from Iraq's Kurdish area over referendum -- Reuters
Turkey will only make contact with Baghdad government in Iraq from now on: PM Yıldırım -- Daily Sabah
Turkey's Erdogan to discuss response to Iraqi referendum during Iran visit: PM -- Reuters

Iranian Reaction

Iran closes border with Iraqi Kurdistan -- Arab News
Iran halts flights to Kurdish region before referendum -- Al Jazeera
Iranian leaders are quietly panicking over the Kurdish referendum -- Michael Rubin, Washington Examiner
As Iraqi Kurds Go to the Polls, Iran Warns Against 'Separatist Secession' -- Sputnik International

Israeli Reaction

Netanyahu muzzles Israeli officials on Kurdish referendum -- Reuters
As Israel Backs Kurdish Independence, Palestinians May Reap the Benefit -- Haaretz

Iraqi Kurdistan Are Now Voting In An Independence Referendum

New York Times: Iraqi Kurds Vote on Independence, Angering Neighbors and U.S.

ERBIL, Iraq — Kurds across northern Iraq lined up Monday morning to vote in a referendum on whether to seek independence for an autonomous Kurdish region that has yearned for nationhood for more than a century.

Despite withering criticism from the Iraqi government and the United States, voters marked simple paper ballots with boxes offering a “yes” or “no” choice on whether to embark on a path toward an independent Kurdistan.

Some Iraqi Kurds were in a defiant mood, reflecting the region’s determination to withstand resistance from the international community, which fears the vote will unleash ethnic conflict and further destabilize Iraq. The Kurds’ two much larger neighbors, Turkey and Iran, have threatened to close borders and impose other sanctions.

Read more ....

More News On Iraqi Kurdistan Now Voting In An Independence Referendum

Voting begins in historic Kurdistan independence referendum -- Rudaw
Turkey's Erdogan threatens to cut off oil flow from Iraq's Kurdish area over referendum -- Reuters
Iraqi Kurds Vote on Independence as Neighbors Warn of Conflict -- Bloomberg
Kurds in Iraq vote in historic referendum for independence -- Washington Post
Iraqi Kurdistan in historic independence vote -- BBC News
Iraqi Kurds Vote in Independence Referendum Despite Warnings From Baghdad, US -- Wall Street Journal
Explained: Who Are the Kurds and Why Are They Seeking Independence? -- Haaretz

Iraqi Kurds Get Ready For Their Independence Referendum

New York Times: Recalling a Tortured Past, Iraqi Kurds to Vote on Independence

MALA OMER, Iraq — The Kurdish soldier, wounded in battle last year, rose in pain from his wheelchair. As his reedy legs wobbled, his 13-year-old son thrust a cane into his hand.

The soldier, Dana Salah Hama, was undergoing physical therapy at his home last week to become strong enough to hobble to a polling station on Monday, when Iraqi Kurds plan to vote on independence from Iraq.

For Mr. Hama, and for several million fellow Kurds in the autonomous enclave of Kurdistan, the vote is a down payment on a dream deferred. Denied a homeland after World War I, Iraq’s Kurds are determined to escape their tortured past and fulfill a national destiny: a country to call their own.

“Kurds know no one will protect us but ourselves,” said Mr. Hama, 35, whose back was injured by an roadside bomb as he battled Islamic State militants last year. “That is why I fought – for the day we Kurds will be both free and safe.”

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WNU Editor: I predict that 95% will support independence.

More News On Iraq's Kurds Getting Ready For Their Independence Referendum

Kurds press historic independence vote despite regional fears -- Reuters
Kurds ready to 'pay any price' as independence vote nears -- France 24
Afraid of their waning power once Isis is defeated, the Kurds are calling for independence from Iraq -- The Independent
Kurdish city gassed by Saddam hopes referendum heralds better days -- Reuters
Coalition fears Iraqi Kurds' vote for freedom will ignite tinderbox -- The Times

Iraqi Kurdish Parliament Has Approved An Independence Referendum On Sept 25

General view of the Kurdistan Parliament meeting in Erbil, Iraq September 15, 2107. REUTERS/Azad Lashkari

BBC: Kurdish MPs say yes to independence referendum

The Iraqi Kurdish parliament has voted to back a planned referendum in the face of opposition from across the globe.

The Kurdistan Regional Government, sitting for the first time in two years, backed the 25 September vote on Friday.

Iraq's central government rejected the referendum as unconstitutional on Tuesday.

Iran, Turkey and the US also object to the vote, fearing further instability.

There had been calls for it to be postponed, if not cancelled.

Of the 111 MPs who sit in the regional parliament, 65 voted to go ahead with the plan.

However, more than 40 did not attend the sitting, according to local media. A number of opposition MPs had said they were planning to abstain.

Read more ....

More News On The Iraqi Kurdish Parliament Approving An Independence Referendum On Sept 25

Kurdish parliament votes to move ahead with referendum -- Washington Post/AP
Iraq Kurd MPs approve independence referendum -- AFP
Iraq's Kurdish parliament backs Sept 25 independence referendum -- Reuters
Iraqi Kurdish parliament backs independence referendum -- Al Jazeera
Kurdistan parliament approves independence referendum on Sept 25 -- RUDAW

Reaction And Commentary On The Iraqi Kurdish Parliament Approving An Independence Referendum On Sept 25

Ankara Threatens Sanctions Against Iraqi Kurds Over Independence Vote -- Voice of America
Iraqi Kurdistan's Independence Referendum May Provoke New Conflict - Turkish PM -- Sputnik International
Iran, Turkey Concerned Over Iraqi Kurdish Referendum -- Financial Tribune
Iraq parliament rejects Kurdish independence referendum -- Al Jazeera
Western pressure mounts on Iraqi Kurds to halt referendum -- Financial Times
Israel Endorses Kurdish Independence in Lone Show of Support -- Bloomberg
The Kurdish independence vote will have major repercussions for the Middle East -- Think Progress
OPEC's second-biggest producer could possibly split in two — and start an oil war -- Sam Meredith, CNBC