Kurdistan's pro-postponement party changes position to YES to referendum

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Islamic Group, a political party in Kurdistan that had previously called for the postponement of the referendum, announced its support on Sunday.

The Islamic Group in a statement declared a shift in its position on the Kurdistan Region’s independence, calling its supporters to vote yes on Monday.

The Islamic Group and the Change Movement were the two parties that had asked the referendum to be postponed because of "lack of preparedness and national consensus."

“When the referendum is held, our vote is yes because when a Kurd is asked if he or she wants an independent country, the answer would certainly be yes,” the statement said.

The Islamic Group has parliamentary seats in the Kurdistan parliament and one minister in the Kurdistan Region’s cabinet.

In a meeting on June 7, chaired by the Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani, the political parties in Kurdistan, except Islamic Group and Change Movement, agreed to hold an independence referendum on Sep. 25, 2017.

The political parties also agreed the independence referendum would be held in all the areas of the Region, including the “disputed territories” between the KRG and the Iraqi government.

Editing by Ava Homa