Iraqi Kurds have planned to go ahead with a proposed referendum on seceding from Iraq.
Who are the Kurds?
Kurds constitute the fourth largest ethnic group in West Asia but don’t have a nation of their own.
They are scattered in various countries and are a considerable minority in Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria.
They have historically been oppressed by their respective governments which has fueled the desire for establishing a Kurdish nation that encompasses the Kurdish regions different countries.
In Turkey, Kurdish rebels are involved in a civil war for secession, while in Syria they have already established a regional government.
As Baghdad is weakened by IS, Kurds have used the situation to enhance the territory under their control.
Currently, Iraqi Kurds are planning a referendum on secession on their own.
What have been the reactions to the referendum?
The Iraqi Supreme Court has already asked the Kurdistan Regional Government to suspend the vote, till its legality is settled.
Although a Yes in the referendum doesn’t guarantee secession, it has been perceived as a message to the outside world reiterating that there is popular support for independence.
Kurds are an important partner for Baghdad in the fight against the IS, with the U.S. also treating the Peshmerga forces as an ally.
The move by the Iraqi Kurds is being viewed with alarm by the Turkish and Iranian regimes.
Turkey has in the past treated Kurdish demands for minority rights such as recognition of their language, let alone autonomy, as secessionist.
Iran is also fighting a minor insurgency by kurds in the mountains of its northern region and has recently closed its eastern borders in the light of the referendum .
Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria remains tactically silent on the matter for now.
So the referendum has geopolitical ramifications
What is the current political status of Iraqi Kurds?
Iraqi Kurds were granted some autonomy after 1991 when a regional government was constituted at Erbil.
In recent years, both Baghdad and Erbil cooperated in the fight against the Islamic State.
Although independence remains the proclaimed goal of Iraqi Kurdis, Mr.Barzani - who heads the regional administration at Erbil, has often personally signalled a compromise.
While Baghdad has chosen to ignore such gestures, the current developments makes restarting negotiations essential.
