Iraq halts Kurdish referendum

Baghdad’s Supreme Court says vote may be unconstitutional

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s top court on Monday temporarily suspended the northern Kurdish region’s referendum on independence due next week, putting further pressure on Iraqi Kurds to call off the controversial vote.

The Supreme Court in Baghdad released a statement, saying it orders the referendum suspended “… until the resolution of the cases regarding the constitutionality of said decision.”

It was not clear if the local government in the semiautonomous Kurdish region would abide by the court’s ruling.

The vote was due on Sept. 25 in the three provinces that make up the region, as well as disputed territories claimed by both the Kurds and Baghdad.

The central government in Baghdad, regional leaders and the United States — a key ally of Iraq’s Kurds — have all called on the Iraqi Kurdish region to hold off on the vote, fearing it could contribute to instability as Iraq continue to battle the Islamic State group.

The Kurdish region has repeatedly ignored calls from Baghdad that the vote is unconstitutional.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told The Associated Press Saturday that Iraq is prepared to intervene militarily if the Kurdish region’s referendum results in violence.

Leaders of the Iraqi Kurdish region have said they hope the referendum will create a path for independence. However, al-Abadi said any such negotiations would likely be complicated by the referendum vote.