UPDATE: Kurdish forces seized two oilfieds in north Iraq on Friday and took over operations from a state-run oil company, while Kurdish politicians formally suspended their participation in Prime Minister Nuri al-Malikis government. The moves escalated a feud between the Shiite-led central government and the autonomous Kurdish region driven by a Sunni insurgency which threatens to fragment Iraq on sectarian and ethnic lines three years after the withdrawal of U.S. forces. The Kurdish forces took over production facilities at the Bai Hassan and Kirkuk oilfields near Kirkuk on Friday, according to the oil ministry in Baghdad, sources at state-run Northern Oil Company, and a senior source in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The oil ministry called on the Kurds to withdraw immediately to avoid dire consequences. Kurdish forces took control of nearby Kirkuk a month ago after Iraqi troops withdrew in the face of a lightning assault by Islamic State militants, who have seized large parts of north and west Iraq. The two oilfields have a combined production capacity of 450,000 barrels per day but have not been producing significant volumes since March when Baghdads Kirkuk-Ceyhan export pipeline was sabotaged. Efforts to reach agreement on a new government in Baghdad to confront the insurgents have been complicated by the tensions between Maliki and the Kurds. The national parliament elected in April met for the first time last week. The United States, the United Nations and Iraqs own Shiite clerics have urged lawmakers to form a new government to face the Sunni insurgency quickly. Parliaments first session ended without agreement over the nominations for the top three government posts. The second was due to be held on Tuesday but was delayed until Sunday. Regional Kurdish President Massoud Barzani last week told his parliament in Arbil to prepare a referendum on independence, infuriating Maliki. The relationship hit a new low this week when the prime minister accused Kurds of allowing their capital to be used as a base for the Islamic State and others, including former members of Saddam Husseins now-banned Baath Party. In protest against the accusation, the Kurdish political bloc announced they were suspending their participation in Baghdad government on Friday. Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said the Kurds will continue to attend parliament. Zebari, who is a Kurd, said Iraq risked falling apart if a new inclusive government is not formed soon as the country is now divided literally into three states - Kurdish, a black state (ISIL) and Baghdad. Unless Iraqi leaders rose to the challenge the consequences are very dire: complete fragmentation and failure of the country, he said. Zebari said the suspension decision would be re-evaluated if Maliki apologises for his comments. After the announcement, Maliki appointed Hussain al-Shahristani, the deputy prime minister, as acting Foreign Minister, an official in Shahristanis office told Reuters. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri met Maliki in Baghdad on Friday to stress Egypts support for efforts to avoid the threat (of) sectarian confrontation and the spread of extremism and terrorism in the name of religion. CALL FOR CALM A spokesman for Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani described Maliki, who is seeking a third term in office in the face of e political opposition, has been afflicted by a true hysteria. The increasingly bitter political accusations prompted the countrys senior Shiite cleric on Friday to urge Iraqs leaders to end their bickering and for fighters to respect all Iraqis regardless of sect or ethnicity. We have repeatedly called for the closing of ranks and for unity and to refrain from radical discourse, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani said in a sermon delivered by an aide. Sectarian rhetoric from politicians had already incited Iraqis and such discourse would only destabilize things further, he said. Tens of thousands of people responded to a call from Sistani on June 13 to take up arms against the Sunni insurgency. Fighters should not...transgress against any innocent citizen no matter their sectarian or ethnic affiliation or whatever their political stance, aide Abdul Mehdi Al-Karbala’i told worshippers at the Imam Hussein shrine in the Shiite holy city of Karbala. A senior Iraqi Shiite politician has told Reuters that in the first week after Sistanis call, Sunnis were killed by militia that had quickly mobilised. They had now been brought under control. Baghdad had seen few attacks compared to the violence in other areas hit by the Islamic States offensive last month, though bombs still hit on a fairly regular basis. In the predominately Shiite district of northern Baghdad, three civilians were killed by a roadside bomb on Friday afternoon, police and medics said.
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 15:29:34 +0000
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