© AP Photo/ Bram JanssenA Kurdish fighter known as a peshmerga, yawns as he stands guard on the frontline in Sinjar, Iraq, Nov. 13, 2015
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has frozen the results of its independence referendum outcome.The KRG conducted an unconstitutional referendum on 25 September with the majority of voters overwhelmingly in favour of independence.
Last week Federal Iraqi forces began moving into the disputed regions, areas controlled by the Kurdish Peshmerga militia, but constitutionally a part of Iraq.
This has resulted in clashes between Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga, but the KRG have just now declared a ceasefire and asked for an open dialogue with Baghdad on the basis of the Constitution, after initially refusing to. Following the defiant referendum, the KRG became immediately isolated with Iran and Turkey closing all borders to the autonomous region and pledging to place economic sanctions.
The referendum received no international support from the international community, with Israel being the exception.Translation of the full text of the KRG statement"The dangerous situation and tension that faces Iraq and Kurdistan forces all of us to live up to the historical responsibility and to not allow the situation to lead to further war and confrontation between the Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga.
The aggression and the confrontation between the Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga since October 16, 2017 has caused damage to both sides. It may also result in continued bloodshed and result in cutting the social relations between the Iraqi components.
It is a fact that a war between the two sides will not have a winner. It will instead lead both sides to great damages in all aspects of life. That is why, from the perspective of our responsibility towards the people of Kurdistan and Iraq, we propose the following to the government of Iraq, the Iraqi public opinion, and to the world:The immediate cessation of fighting and every kind of military operations in the Kurdistan Region.Freezing the outcome of
the referendum that was held in the Iraqi Kurdistan.
Beginning an open dialogue between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government on the basis of the Iraqi constitution.
Kurdistan Regional Government "
Comment: The Iraqi government has not yet
responded to Iraqi Kurdistan's cease-fire proposal, according to Kifah Sinjari, an adviser to the president of Iraqi Kurdistan.
"I think that the Kurdistan government will await an official response from the Baghdad authorities," Sinjari told Sputnik.
According to the official, the continuation of military actions is in the interest of neither side.
"The ball is in the federal government's court, and there is an opportunity to save lives," he concluded.
Sinjari pointed out that the clashes between the Iraqi forces and the Kurdish units might cause irreversible consequences.
The Kurdistan Regional Government has offered the country's central government a cease-fire and to engage in bilateral dialogue, expressing its readiness to "freeze" the results of the region's independence referendum.
Update (Oct. 26): The security council in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region
said Thursday that Iraqi government forces and Iran-backed Shiite militias were attacking Kurdish Peshmerga positions near Mosul.
"Iraqi forces and Iranian-backed PMF [Popular Mobilization Forces] are shelling Peshmerga positions from Zummar, North West of Mosul. Now advancing," the authority said on Twitter.
This offensive has started despite the region's repeated calls on Baghdad to conduct unconditional negotiations in exchange for a freeze on its independence drive after a September referendum, in which over 90 percent of Kurds in the region backed splitting from Iraq.
The council said in a statement on Thursday that Iraqi troops and militias had been pulling heavy artillery and tanks close to Peshmerga positions near Zummar and called on the international community to intervene.
Comment: The Iraqi government has not yet responded to Iraqi Kurdistan's cease-fire proposal, according to Kifah Sinjari, an adviser to the president of Iraqi Kurdistan. Update (Oct. 26): The security council in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region said Thursday that Iraqi government forces and Iran-backed Shiite militias were attacking Kurdish Peshmerga positions near Mosul.