Iraqi judicial authorities have issued an arrest warrant for a Kurdish politician at the centre of last year's failed independence bid, a source from within the provincial administration said Sunday.

Rebwar Talabani, head of the Kirkuk Provincial Council, was one of the architects of the September referendum in which an overwhelming majority backed independence for Iraqi Kurdistan.

The plebiscite was branded illegal by Baghdad, which in the wake of the vote sent troops into the disputed city of Kirkuk and retook territory in the oil-rich region.

A source from within the provincial administration, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the arrest warrant was issued for Talabani "hoisting the Kurdish flag on official buildings of Kirkuk and organising the referendum" in the disputed city.

Talabani is currently in Arbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, where he fled to last October as Iraqi troops arrived in Kirkuk.

There continue to be tensions between the majority Kurdish population, Arabs and Turkmens in Kirkuk province, north of Baghdad.

Authorities imposed a curfew last month after skirmishes broke out following the results of the May 12 national elections being announced.

Related Links
News From Across The Stans

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Russian pilot found alive 30 years after shot down in Afghanistan
Moscow (AFP) June 1, 2018
A Russian pilot who was missing presumed dead after his plane was shot down three decades ago during the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan has been found alive and wants to come home, Russian military veterans said Friday. "He is still alive. It's very astonishing. Now he needs help," the head of the paratroopers' union Valery Vostrotin told RIA Novosti state news agency. Vostrotin, who heads the Russian side of a Russian-US joint commission on prisoners-of-war and soldiers missing in action, d ... read more