Kurdish President Barzani Steps Down from Power

Iraqi Kurdish President Masoud Barzani is resigning as president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, effective November 1^st,after the September 25th independence referendum backfired triggering a regional crisis for Iraq.

The Kurdish parliament approved of the Barzani’s resignation as Kurdish President, which was met by armed Kurdish protesters who disapproved of his resignation. Demonstrators stormed the parliament as the session was in process, firing gunshots. So far there are no reported injuries or casualties.

In his address to the public on October 29^th Barzani stated, “I am the same Masoud Barzani, I am a Peshmerga and will continue to help my people in their struggle for independence.” He also stated that that the results from the independence referendum  which voted for 92.7% in favor of independence, “can never be erased.”

Barzani in his statement also condemned the United States for failing to back the Kurds.  He said, “Our people should now question, whether the US was aware of Iraq’s attack and why they did not prevent it.”

The US State Department called Masoud Barzani “a historic figure and courageous leader of his people,” and added that the decision to step down “represents an act of statesmanship during a difficult period.”

Barzani has campaigned for Kurdish self-determination for nearly four decades. Barzani assumed office as President of the KRG in June 2005 after the new constitution of Iraq was ratified.

Technically Barzani’s second term expired in 2013, but it was extended without elections through parliament due to the fight against Islamic State.

The elections for Kurdish President had originally been set for November 1^st, but due to his resignation, they were delayed by eight months. Later, it was agreed to transfer presidential duties to the Parliament and the Ministry of Justice within parliament following a voting process and additionally the KRG’s Presidential Council has been abolished. Currently the KDP has the majority in the Kurdish Parliament with 51 seats and the PUK has 49 seats.

Prior to President Barzani stepping down from power, the Kurdish region has experienced turbulence due to the decision to press forward for the independence vote, despite Iraq, Turkey, Iran and the United States urging not to move forward. Following the vote on October 16^th the Iraqi government seized Kirkuk  from the KRG.

Then on October 27^th the KRG and the central government in Baghdad called for a ceasefire over the fighting that has occurred in Kirkuk between the Iraqi forces and the Kurds.  The retaking of Kirkuk from the KRG was a crucial victory for the national forces. The KRG used Kirkuk as one of their strongest argument for independence due to its oil reserves as well as an ethnically mixed population.

A truce has not been officially agreed on, but the armed conflict has stopped in Kirkuk, and it was expected that there would be “Diplomatic efforts underway to set a date for talks to start between Erbil and Baghdad” said Vahal Ali, director of the President Barzani’s media office.

However, the Kurds are clashing with the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) as they launched an offensive on October 26^th in area of the Zummar district of Northern Ninewa. Zummar is located north west of Mosul. Simultaneously Peshmerga and PMF forces began fighting near the town of Faysh Khabur, which is also one of the most important border crossings located on the border of Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.

Additionally, as of October 31^st the Habur border gate  was handed over to the central government of Iraq from Turkish control. Iraq’s entire land border with Turkey is located along the Kurdish region.  The Turkish and Iranian governments blocked air travel and border crossings to and from the Kurdish region at the request of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi urged the governments to block travel.

The loss of control over the Habur gate is crucial for the KRG. The Habur gate has been under control of the KRG since before 2003, and it’s could result in a domino effect impacting Kurdish control of other important land crossings.  Another crossing site, the Faysh Khabur, is the site of the main oil export pipeline for northern Iraq, and crude exports through it are the principal source of funds for the Kurds. The central government is now demanding all crossing between Turkey and Iran be relinquished, and both Turkey and Iran support Prime Minister Abadi’s decision.

The current situation of the KRG due to the seizure of Kirkuk, President Barzani stepping down from power, and the loss of the Habur gate has very negative impacts for the original goal of independence.