8 February 2018 - 19:54

PUK considers Kirkuk an occupied province: spokesman

<p style="text-align:left">The Spokesman for the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Saadi Ahmad Pire told Rudaw in an interview that it is a mistake of Iraq if the country thinks it is a winner in the fight against the Islamic State (IS), adding that the northern province of Kirkuk and Tuz Khurmatu are disputed regions and the Iraqi government actions in the province and city are against the law.

The spokesman underscored that the PUK considers Kirkuk, and the other disputed regions as occupied but it would participate in the upcoming elections there as satisfying people to quit Kirkuk is dangerous and would lead into a big Kurds’ defeat in the elections and would ease Arabization process in Kirkuk as well.

The time of the referendum was not suitable and the political and geographical situation was not studied and analyzed correctly and there were also unrealistic expectations from the neighboring states of the region, Ahmad Pire said about the independence referendum of Kurdistan in September 25, 2017.

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