The region played a key role in defeating ISIS and is a stable, secure area of Iraq where many people come to do business and enjoy tourism opportunities. However, nature abhors a vacuum, and many of the region’s neighbors are jealous of its success. Towards that end, they are chomping at the bit to undermine it.
In recent days and months, there have been several processes that are threatening the region. First of all, the region is divided internally between two large Kurdish political parties, the KDP and PUK. The KDP is stronger and dominant in the capital, Erbil. It also enjoys amicable ties with Ankara and therefore has strong trading and financial ties across the border in Turkey. But that doesn’t stop Ankara from carrying on a military campaign in northern Iraq that often harms Kurds. Turkey claims to be fighting the PKK, which it calls “terrorists.” However, the bombardments against the alleged PKK elements leads to concern for Kurdish civilians and other communities in and around Dohuk, one of the region’s cities.
Iran threatening military action
Iran meanwhile is also threatening military action in the region. Iran has closer ties to the PUK than the KDP. Iran also has ratcheted up pressure on Kurdish dissident groups. This is in part because of the anniversary of the killing of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian Kurdish woman, by Iran’s morality police. Amini was Kurdish and Iran has cracked down on Kurdish groups over the last year, even launching drone and artillery attacks on Kurds in Iraq. READ MORE
