Shafaq News/Political tensions are brewing in the Iraqi governorate councils of Kirkuk,Nineveh, Diyala, and Saladin despite the relative stability in security.Observers note that recent council elections have disrupted the politicalscene, affecting administrative and public services.
In Kirkuk,Ismail al-Hadidi, Secretary-General of the al-Hadaf al-Watani Party, explainedthat while the conflict in the governorate is not new, it has shifted fromethnic clashes to competition among groups. The current disputes, he said, area result of the agreement that formed the local government, led by PrimeMinister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani.
Speaking toShafaq News Agency, al-Hadidi said that Turkmen groups and some Arabs were leftout of the agreement that formed Kirkuk's local government.
He mentionedthat "opposition will continue until the Federal Supreme Court rules onthe matter."
If the courtchooses to support the government's formation, he expects the Turkmen to joineventually.
Al-Hadidinoted that the Kurdish dispute between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) precedes the internal differencesinside the council, hinting at the deep-rooted differences between the twomajor parties in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.
The Turkmen,aligning with Arab groups, tried to form a government with the KDP's help.
Although thePUK is usually dominant in Kirkuk, the KDP managed to secure enough support toform the government, which led other Arab factions to back the PUK and finalizethe process.
He warnedthat excluding the Turkmen from the local government could destabilize securityin Kirkuk, suggesting that a recent Turkish drone incident might signal theneed to include Turkmen in the government and address their concerns.
Iraq's airdefenses shot down a Turkish drone flying over Kirkuk on Thursday.
In Nineveh,Eidam Sheikh Kalo, a member of the governorate's council representing theYazidis, said that any political disagreements could disrupt the administrationand services offered to locals.
Recentdisruptions have already caused delays in administrative work and servicedelivery, he told Shafaq News Agency, urging for dialogue to resolve theseconflicts.
Kalo alsopointed out that while some compare the situations in Kirkuk and Nineveh, the governoratesare different, with "each facing its unique challenges."
Politicalanalyst Abdul-Jabbar al-Jubouri noted that while security in Nineveh, Kirkuk,and Diyala is "relatively stable," recent local elections have"unsettled" the political landscape in these areas.
Al-Jubouritold Shafaq News Agency that political conflicts in Nineveh, Kirkuk, and Diyalaare "delaying political stability and essential service projects forresidents."
He urged thepolitical factions to set aside personal interests and external influences,calling local council members to "come together, resolve theirdifferences, and focus on the needs of the people."
Dr. MohammadGhasoub Younes, head of the RASD Center for Political and Strategic Studies,criticized governorate council members in Kirkuk, Nineveh, Diyala, and Saladinfor not working together to serve their regions, instead becoming tools forpolitical leaders.
"Ninevehis in crisis, with two main factions, 'Future Nineveh' and 'Unified Nineveh,'but there's neither a clear future nor unity in the governorate," Younestold Shafaq News Agency.
He notedthat over 95% of Nineveh's council members are from outside parties dominatingthe governorate. "If this continues, it could harm services, projects, andsecurity."
Younes warnedthat Nineveh's borders became vulnerable after the Syrian Democratic Forces(SDF) released many ISIS militants. He also mentioned that armed politicalfactions are causing unrest for their own gain.
In Diyala,he said tensions among council members keep the governorate unstable, stressingits strategic importance as "a border region vulnerable to drugtrafficking."
RegardingKirkuk, Younes pointed out ongoing ethnic and sectarian conflicts within thegovernorate's council, made worse by disagreements over the selection of thegovernor and council chairman, angering the Turkmen and the KDP. He also notedISIS activity around Kirkuk, similar to the instability in Saladin.
Younesconcluded by urging political leaders to reach a consensus to maintain securityin these governorates. Without it, ongoing conflicts could escalate, leading toserious security consequences. He called on leaders to prioritize thewell-being of the people in these regions.