Political party leaders and representatives of numerous political movements held a major meeting chaired by Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government President Massud Barzani, al-Sharqiya TV reported.
The participants in this meeting issued a statement stressing on their readiness to defend the Kurdish people’s accomplishments and stand against Nouri Maliki’s measures in dispatching central government military forces to the regions of Shenkal and Zemar.
The KRG Pishmarga Ministry also issued a statement announcing: “Following the assembly of government forces near the Zemar region, all Pishmarga forces have been placed on high alert.”
In addition to this, Arab families of the town of Daquq located south of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk asked KRG President Massud Barzani to support them against pressures imposed by central government forces, al-Sharqiya TV added, insisting these forces dispatched from Baghdad tied the men of their village to date trees for over 18 hours and insulted and cursed the women. These units also insulted the tribes’ traditions and values, they added.
In an interview with al-Sharqiya TV, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi emphasized on his opposition to the use or threatening to use force against the Kurdish people, describing such an as act as illegal under the constitution.
“The Iraqi government’s position towards Syrian refugees was not right and they did not act correctly in hosting them in Iraq,” Nujaifi added.