Iraq bans all foreign flights to Erbil after Kurdish referendum vote, KRG angered with the decision

Baghdad, September 29: The war between the Kurds and Iraqis intensifies after the Kurdish referendum. The Kurdish regional government has rejected measures adopted by Iraq in the wake of its independence vote as Baghdad has decided to ban flight to Erbil. The Kurdish Regional Government yesterday said it rejects all the decisions taken by the Iraqi government and Parliament and regards them as collective punishment against the Kurds.

 

It is a stern and a concrete move by the Iraqi government in retaliation banning all foreign flights to and from Erbil. Erbil airport director Talar Faiq Salih said following a controversial independence referendum, all international flights without exception to and from Erbil will stop following a decision by the Iraqi cabinet. Iraqi lawmakers had passed a resolution calling on Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to "take all necessary measures to maintain Iraq's unity" including by deploying security forces to disputed areas.

 

Already, Iraq and Turkey are on the run by deploying military soldiers near the borders. The Kurdish independence issue has evolved over the years after the breakdown of Ottoman Empire. Kurds are spread away majorly in Iran, Iraq, Turkey and few other Middle East countries. The reason why the issue is so concerning is that Iraq and Turkey fear that an independent state to Kurds could further intensify the menace of terrorism, considering Syria falls on the borderline to these countries.

 

Meanwhile, Iraqi lawmakers had passed a resolution calling on Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to "take all necessary measures to maintain Iraq's unity" including by deploying security forces to disputed areas. Earlier, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said he had been told by Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim in a call that Turkey would break with past practice and deal only with the Baghdad government when purchasing oil from Iraq. Yildirim said he wants to hold a summit with Iranian and Iraqi leaders to coordinate how to respond to the controversial Iraqi Kurdish independence referendum.