Kurdish kicking a Door of the Iraqi Embassy in London
Kurdistan’s illegal independence referendum which was rejected by most countries around the world led to some tensions in Kurdish parts of the country. After recurrent warnings by the central government of Iraq, the army assaulted Kirkuk with few victims and took control of the city.
Kurdish protesters in London, gathered in protest against the army’s military intervention in Kirkuk. In another, a number of protesters can be seen kicking a door of the building, trying in vain to gain access.
Monday’s military action saw troops take the city under Iraqi control in a matter of mere hours. Soldiers raised the Iraqi flag over key buildings in the city, following orders by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi that the flag be hoisted over Kirkuk and other areas under Kurdish control.
Kurdish Peshmerga forces have said that the move into Kirkuk represents “a flagrant declaration of war” and vowed that Iraq will pay a “heavy price.” They further described Baghdad’s assault as “retaliation against the right of the people to vote on their fate,” in reference to last month’s referendum on Kurdistan independence.
The Iraqi PM earlier said the operation was aimed at protecting the unity of Iraq following Kurdistan’s independence vote.
It is my constitutional duty to work for the benefit of the citizens and to protect our national unity that came under threat of fragmentation as a result of the referendum that was organized by the Kurdish region.
Kirkuk is an oil-rich province claimed by both the Kurds and the Iraqi central government. It is thought to have a Kurdish majority, but its provincial capital has large Arab and Turkmen populations.
Assaults by ISIS in the region in 2014 made chance for Peshmerga forces to take control of a great part of the area. With recurrent defeats of ISIS in multiple fronts by PMU forces, the Kurdish leaders planned for an illegal independence referendum which was held days ago. While Kirkuk has not taken part in the referendum, Kurdish leaders claim it as their territory.
Source : Website