PM Barzani to Ghanimi: assaults on Kirkuk Kurds do not serve Iraqis

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – During a meeting with Iraq’s interior minister on Saturday, the Kurdistan Region’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani called for an end to attacks on Kurds in the disputed region of Kirkuk.

Barzani met with Interior Minister Othman al-Ghanimi to discuss ways to enhance security coordination between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government of iraq, especially concerning the rocket attack on Erbil in which the two sides worked together on the investigation, according to a statement on the KRG website.

Read More: Kurdistan Region: Preliminary investigation into Erbil rocket attack complete

The statement pointed out that the policy of demographic change, attacks on Kurdish citizens and the seizure of their land is ongoing in Kirkuk and other areas disputed between the KRG and the federal government. The premier stressed that the situation is unconstitutional and does not serve the interest of Iraqi citizens, the statement said.

The premier valued Ghanimi’s efforts to solve problems in the disputed areas, it added.

Saturday’s meeting also focused on the need to implement the Sinjar (Shingal) agreement, including the exit of militias and irregular armed forces from the region.

The Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Oct. 9th, 2020 announced that they had reached an agreement to restore and normalize the situation in the Sinjar area, where competing armed groups are active.

Read More: KRG and Baghdad reach administrative, security agreement on Sinjar

According to the statement, Barzani and Ghanimi discussed negotiations between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government regarding the federal budget for 2021, in addition to the upcoming elections.

Editing by Joanne Stocker-Kelly