He made the remarks on the fourth anniversary of the Kurdistan Region’s independence referendum on Saturday, September 25.
"I commend the heroic people of Kurdistan for invariably refusing to bow down,” Barzani said in a tweet.
Although some viewed it as a misstep that resulted in the loss of a significant amount of territory previously controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), many in the Region continue to see the 2017 referendum as an important step towards increasing Kurdish autonomy and achieving independence.
Overwhelmingly supported by those who showed up at the polls, both allies like the US and rivals like Iraq and Iran warned the Kurdistan Region’s officials against holding the referendum ahead of the vote, NRT reported.
Small domestic critics opposed the timing of the referendum under the banner of "No for Now.”
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