Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Iraq president blames Kurdish poll for Kirkuk assault
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleIraqi President Fuad Masum blames a Kurdish independence referendum for triggering a military intervention by Iraqi forces to take control of the disputed province of Kirkuk.
“Holding a referendum on the Kurdistan region’s independence from Iraq stirred grave disagreements between the central government and the government of Kurdistan,” Masum, himself a Kurd, says in a televised address.
That “led to federal security forces retaking direct control of Kirkuk,” he adds.
Iraqi Kurds voted overwhelmingly on September 25 for independence from Baghdad.
Regional president Massud Barzani had pushed ahead with the poll in defiance of Baghdad, Washington and Iraq’s neighboring states.
— AFP
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