Shafaq News / Influential tribal leaders in Kirkuk unveiled a conciliatory initiative on Friday, backed by Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, aimed at quelling the political and ethnic discord in the region. Meanwhile, an Arab official viewed the recent Kirkuk events as politically exploited, stressing that only fair local elections could extinguish the growing tensions.
Sheikh Raad Sami Al-Aasi, one of the prominent figures present at the meeting with Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani in Erbil, lauded Barzani's initiative as a positive step toward unifying different components and steering them away from political wrangling and provocations that target Kirkuk's unity.
Al-Aasi, in an interview with Shafaq News Agency, mentioned that Barzani had disclosed his decision to donate the headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party to a university to establish an academic institution. However, he lamented that political interferences and electioneering had obstructed the realization of this noble initiative.
He elaborated further, stating, "Nevertheless, Barzani pledged that his party would not enter its headquarters if it were evacuated by joint forces, as a gesture to avert the discord incited by parties with hostile intentions toward peaceful and communal coexistence in Kirkuk."
Al-Aasi revealed a set of demands presented by the Arab and other components to Masoud Barzani. These demands included "relocating the advanced base of the joint forces (KDP headquarters) away from political rivalries and placing its dossier under Iraqi jurisdiction. They also called for the release of all detainees among Kirkuk's residents who have not been proven guilty of any charges, transferring the convicted to specialized courts in Baghdad or Kirkuk, and organizing a general conference for all Kirkuk components to resolve conflicts and prevent potential clashes in the current circumstances."
In light of the crisis, former Kirkuk Provincial Council member Burhan Mazhar Al-Obaidi characterized the recent Kirkuk events as "political and electoral maneuvers, with all parties and ethnicities sharing the blame."
Al-Obaidi, in an interview with the agency, asserted that "the crisis surrounding the Kurdistan Democratic Party's headquarters was exploited by political and tribal parties as an electoral issue, leading to an exacerbation of the situation in Kirkuk, which was known for its coexistence and stability." He emphasized the necessity of conducting local elections in Kirkuk as an essential step to resolve crises, ethnic tensions, and ensure equal rights among all components. He also called for evaluating the province's administration, strengthening oversight, and preventing unilateral decision-making.
In response to the mounting crisis, the Iraqi security authorities imposed a curfew in Kirkuk province due to the unrest accompanying the protests in Kurdish areas.