Political divide threatens Kurdish autonomy; US urges unity

Detailed summary

Editor's note: this story was translated from the original VOA Kurdish article. Last week's withdrawal of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan from the Iraqi Kurdistan’s regional…

Editor's note: this story was translated from the original VOA Kurdish article.

Last week's withdrawal of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan from the Iraqi Kurdistan’s regional government has deepened the political standoff between the region's two main ruling parties.

The rise in tensions came after a disputed parliamentary session prompted the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) to announce its withdrawal from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by the Barzani family, and the PUK, led by the Talabani family, have dominated Kurdish politics for decades. Their rivalry led to a brutal armed conflict and separate administrations in the 1990s.

Some regional analysts warn that the latest tensions could lead to a renewed division of the Kurdistan region.

"If we divide this region ourselves, the entire world will abandon us,” Kamil Omar, a university professor in Sulaimaniyah, told VOA. “How long can they continue worrying about us when we cannot protect our own region, our people’s future and our nation’s strategic interests?”

The Kurdistan Region gained de facto autonomy following the 1991 Gulf War, with its federal status recognized in Iraq’s 2005 constitution.

“We have received political and military support and protection from international allies for the past 35 years," he added.

Speaking at Chatham House in London on Wednesday, U.S. special envoy for Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack urged Kurdish leaders to overcome their “family” and “tribal” divisions and strengthen cooperation with Baghdad.

Opening of the article, excerpted from Voice of America. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.