Iraq orders arrest for Kurdistan VP for anti-army remarks
Kurdistan Region’s Vice President Kosrat Rasul.
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) A top Iraqi court ordered Thursday the arrest of Kurdistan Region’s vice president over hostile remarks he made of Iraqi forces which took over the disputed Kirkuk province earlier this week.
The Rusafa investigation court in Baghdad ordered the arrest of Kosrat Rasul, a deputy secretary-general of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, for having described Iraqi forces as “occupier forces” as they retook control over Kirkuk, said a statement by the Higher Judicial Council’s spokesman, Abdul-Sattar Beraqdar.
The statement said the remarks were deemed an instigation against the Iraqi armed forces.
Iraqi troops, backed by Popular Mobilization Forces, took over Kirkuk province from Kurdish Peshmerga fighters on Tuesday, fulfilling Abadi’s earlier directives to retake areas where sovereignty is disputed with Kurdistan Region’s Government. The Iraqi military command said it became in control over all of the province’s oil fields, military bases and government facilities. The military takeover came after Kurdistan voted in September to secede from Iraq. Iraqi officials have frequently reiterated they would proceed until federal government control is fully re-established in disputed territories.
Following the controversial referendum, the Iraqi government said it prepared a list of Kurdish figures who were to be prosecuted for promoting the poll.