An Iraqi Turkmen leader has said the independence referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan planned to be held on Sept. 25 would not benefit any group in the region.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Iraqi Turkmen Front leader Ershad Salihi said the upcoming referendum would lead to chaos. "The upcoming KRG [Kurdistan Regional Government] referendum that got a negative reaction from both regional and local actors would benefit nobody. This referendum will lead the country to new chaos no matter what," Salihi asserted.
Salihi cited Kirkuk a disputed region between Bagdad and Irbil: "The future of Kirkuk can be determined only by the Federal Assembly of Iraq." He said that for thousands of years, Turkmens, Kurds, Arabs and Assyrians have lived there together.
"It is not logical to cause a new crisis in a country that has not yet been able to completely rid itself of Daesh," Salihi said, adding that the intention of including Kirkuk in the referendum would have negative effects on the country and the region.
"Kurds will be those who will suffer the most after the referendum, which would only trigger the division of the country that has been struggling with various types of chaos, terrorism, conflict and problems for 10 years now," Salihi said, adding that Kurds, who gained a certain amount of autonomy since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein will have losses in political, economic and national areas.
In June, KRG President Massoud Barzani announced that it would hold a referendum on independence from Baghdad on Sept. 25.
Ankara has opposed the independence vote, calling it a "grave mistake" that would "result in undesired results" for regional peace and security.
With a population of around 5 million people, Iraqi Kurdistan already enjoys a high degree of autonomy. It has its own parliament and armed forces, but has clashed with the central administration in Baghdad over distribution of oil revenues and control of some areas under the central Iraqi administration.
