Big ‘yes’ vote expected for Kurd independence

Arbil, Iraq, Sept. 26: Iraq’s Kurds were Tuesday expecting the announcement of a big “yes” vote for independence, as authorities in Baghdad weighed how to respond to a referendum they considered illegal.

Large numbers turned out in northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region for Monday’s vote, which went ahead despite fierce objections from Baghdad, Turkey and Iran.

Votes were still being counted on Tuesday, with results expected by the end of the day and no doubt of an overwhelming outcome in favour of independence. The vote is nonbinding and will not lead automatically to independence, but is seen by the Kurds as a major step towards a long-cherished dream of statehood. In the regional capital Arbil, a night of fireworks, flagwaving and dancing in the streets followed the vote.

Iraqi PM gives authorities in Kurdistan 72 hours to give the Central govt control of airports, a day after the autonomous region voted on independence

“We made a Kurdish state today,” Arbil resident Ahmad said during the celebrations.

“We’re Kurdish people, we’re not Arab, we’re not Persian, we’re no one else... We’re Kurds and we’ll remain Kurds forever.” The referendum took place peacefully, but has increased tensions between the Iraqi Kurds and their neighbours, raising fears of potential unrest. Iraq Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared before the vote that he would take “necessary measures” to protect the country’s unity and he was due to meet parliament members on Wednesday. Iraqi lawmakers voted on Tuesday to send troops to disputed areas where the referendum took place, but there have been no signs of a deployment so far.

Analysts say Baghdad is deeply concerned by the vote but unlikely to seek a confrontation with the Kurds for now, especially as Iraqi forces continue to battle the Islamic State group in its final bastions.

On Tuesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the Iraqi Kurds and their long-time leader Massud Barzani risked sparking an “ethnic war”. “If Barzani and the Kurdistan Regional Government do not go back on this mistake as soon as possible, they will go down in history with the shame of having dragged the region into an ethnic and sectarian war,” Mr Erdogan said in a televised speech. — AFP