Haider al-Abadi issues appeal following last week’s illegal poll on Kurdish regional independence
Haider al-Abadi, Iraqi prime minister and commander-in-chief of the country’s armed forces, has called on Kurdish Peshmerga forces to operate under his command.
According to Iraq’s 2005 constitution, the Peshmerga are answerable to Iraq’s Defense Ministry. In reality, however, they remain entirely controlled by the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) led by KRG President Masoud Barzani.
At a Thursday press conference in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron (and broadcast on Iraqi state television), al-Abadi urged the Peshmerga “to work alongside Iraqi forces in disputed areas [of Iraq] to help maintain stability and security there”.
“Baghdad doesn’t want to see any armed confrontations with Kurdish forces following last week’s referendum,” al-Abadi asserted.
The illegitimate referendum was heavily criticized by most regional and international actors, many of whom had warned that the poll would distract from Iraq’s ongoing fight against Daesh and further destabilize the region.
At Thursday’s press conference, the French president, too, emphasized the need to resolve the region’s problems -- especially those arising from last week’s referendum -- through dialogue.
“Dialogue is the only solution to the crisis caused by the referendum,” he added.
