Skip to main content

Kurds divided over blame for loss of Kirkuk

The recapture of Kirkuk by Iraqi forces in the aftermath of the independence referendum is a heavy blow for Kurds in Iran, Syria and Turkey.
RTS1GVHN.jpg
Read in 

The retaking of Kirkuk by Iraqi forces in October sent shock waves throughout Iraq’s Kurdistan Region. Protests took place in Erbil, including at the US Consulate. Kurds took to social media to lament the Iraqi victory, criticizing the country as well as the Popular Mobilization Units, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) politicians, Iran and Turkey. The reverberations were also felt in Kurdish communities elsewhere in the Middle East.

“As a Kurd, I was saddened,” Alborz Rointan, a member of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI), told Al-Monitor about Kirkuk. “Iranian Kurds after the referendum took to the streets and showed their happiness.”

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.