Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi made a lightning visit to Ankara today to shore up regional support for Baghdad’s efforts to reclaim full control over the beleaguered Iraqi Kurdistan Region. The campaign could turn very bloody should the Kurds resist.
Abadi met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has emerged as a key ally in those plans. In a joint news conference, the two men repeated their objections to the Kurdish independence referendum, which was held Sept. 25 and approved by a crushing 93% of voters.