Kurdistan remains calm and life is for most part is normal. The government is shipping oil with barely a squeak out of Baghdad as it desperately needs the cash. However, as most Kurdish petrol came from the Bajii refinery further south in Arab Iraq, there is petrol rationing with a growing black market selling petrol up to $2.50 a litre, though the price at the pump is still .50c (if you can get it).
Kurdistan remains connected to Baghdad but only just, via a difficult and dangerous road, though this doesn't deter refugees from making the journey north. It is estimated that over the last two weeks, almost 500,000 people have arrived in Kurdistan and they are still coming. In particular almost the entire Christian community and large numbers of Shia muslims have fled ISIS held territory.
Along the border, there are constant small clashes with ISIS forces and two days ago a suicide bomber killed three people in Kirkuk, the first such attack in Kurdish territory since the beginning of the conflict. What this signifies is that ISIS is not going to leave Kurdistan alone, but the 40,000 Kurdish troops protecting the border are certainly not running any where. The problem lies in the future when ISIS are more established and better armed.
With Maliki refusing to resign or even create a government of national unity, the Kurds are most likely to stay out of the fight - why shed Kurdish blood for a government that has no intention of working together to try and save the country. The overwhelming public opinion is still to stay out of the fight and let the Arabs kill each other.
All the talk in Kurdistan is about independence, but the Barzanis are shrewd political operators and will pick their time. (Massoud Barzani is the Kurdish President and his son Nicheven is the Prime Ministers). they have now pulled all the Kurdish majority territory under their control and will pick their moment.
Kurdistan remains connected to Baghdad but only just, via a difficult and dangerous road, though this doesn't deter refugees from making the journey north. It is estimated that over the last two weeks, almost 500,000 people have arrived in Kurdistan and they are still coming. In particular almost the entire Christian community and large numbers of Shia muslims have fled ISIS held territory.
Along the border, there are constant small clashes with ISIS forces and two days ago a suicide bomber killed three people in Kirkuk, the first such attack in Kurdish territory since the beginning of the conflict. What this signifies is that ISIS is not going to leave Kurdistan alone, but the 40,000 Kurdish troops protecting the border are certainly not running any where. The problem lies in the future when ISIS are more established and better armed.
With Maliki refusing to resign or even create a government of national unity, the Kurds are most likely to stay out of the fight - why shed Kurdish blood for a government that has no intention of working together to try and save the country. The overwhelming public opinion is still to stay out of the fight and let the Arabs kill each other.
All the talk in Kurdistan is about independence, but the Barzanis are shrewd political operators and will pick their time. (Massoud Barzani is the Kurdish President and his son Nicheven is the Prime Ministers). they have now pulled all the Kurdish majority territory under their control and will pick their moment.
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