NEW DELHI: Iraq is leveraging a period of relative calm to increase its influence over the oil-rich autonomous Kurdistan region, which has a history of strained relations with federal authorities, according to analysts and politicians. Tensions between Baghdad and Arbil, the northern region’s capital, have intensified following several Supreme Court rulings viewed by the Kurds as efforts to diminish the region’s autonomy.Prime Minister Masrour Barzani of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) recently cautioned about “conspiracies to undermine and dismantle the Kurdistan region” with alleged internal backing within Kurdistan.
The ongoing pressure primarily targets the KDP, engaged in a longstanding rivalry with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Kurds in Iraq faced persecution under Saddam Hussein‘s Sunni Arab-dominated regime, but their autonomy was formalized in the 2005 constitution following the 2003 US-led invasion. However, reconciling the complex ties between Baghdad and Kurdistan has remained a persistent challenge.
Federal authorities in Baghdad have been preoccupied with various crises, including war, combating the Islamic State group, and anti-government protests, leaving little attention to Kurdistan’s alleged mistakes such as unauthorized oil deals, financial irregularities, and questionable decisions. A senior official in Baghdad, speaking on condition of anonymity, emphasized the need to rectify these errors at this juncture.
Despite similar challenges like corruption and political discord as seen in Baghdad, the US-backed Kurdistan region has positioned itself as a stable hub of economic growth amidst the turmoil in federal Iraq. Last year, civil servants and lawyers from Sulaimaniyah, a PUK stronghold, sued over unpaid salaries, accusing Baghdad of withholding funds. In February, the Federal Supreme Court directed the federal government to directly pay public sector salaries in Kurdistan and demanded all revenues be remitted to Baghdad.
Additionally, the court ordered a reduction in the Kurdish parliament’s seats, leading the KDP to boycott upcoming legislative polls. A dispute over oil exports further escalated tensions, resulting in a suspension of exports following an international arbitration favoring federal control over Kurdish oil exports through Turkey. Negotiations for Kurdish oil sales to pass through Baghdad have stalled despite an agreement in principle.
Upon assuming power in 2021, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani initially improved relations between Baghdad and Arbil. However, some pro-Iran Shiite Muslim factions supporting Sudani are now determined to weaken Kurdistan’s autonomy. Political scientist Ihsan al-Shammari highlighted a desire among Shiite politicians to weaken the region out of political vendetta, characterizing recent court decisions as politically motivated.
The current tensions not only strain Arbil’s ties with Baghdad but also seek to diminish the KDP’s influence politically. Internal political rifts between the KDP and the PUK, which enjoys closer relations with the federal government, have always influenced the region’s politics. While PUK chief Bafel Jalal Talabani endorsed the Supreme Court’s decisions, KDP lawmaker Sabah Sobhi criticized them for undermining Iraq’s political system.
The disagreements among Kurdish factions could exacerbate the situation, warned Sobhi, emphasizing the potential impact of internal divisions on the region’s stability and political landscape.
(With agency inputs)
The ongoing pressure primarily targets the KDP, engaged in a longstanding rivalry with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Kurds in Iraq faced persecution under Saddam Hussein‘s Sunni Arab-dominated regime, but their autonomy was formalized in the 2005 constitution following the 2003 US-led invasion. However, reconciling the complex ties between Baghdad and Kurdistan has remained a persistent challenge.
Federal authorities in Baghdad have been preoccupied with various crises, including war, combating the Islamic State group, and anti-government protests, leaving little attention to Kurdistan’s alleged mistakes such as unauthorized oil deals, financial irregularities, and questionable decisions. A senior official in Baghdad, speaking on condition of anonymity, emphasized the need to rectify these errors at this juncture.
Despite similar challenges like corruption and political discord as seen in Baghdad, the US-backed Kurdistan region has positioned itself as a stable hub of economic growth amidst the turmoil in federal Iraq. Last year, civil servants and lawyers from Sulaimaniyah, a PUK stronghold, sued over unpaid salaries, accusing Baghdad of withholding funds. In February, the Federal Supreme Court directed the federal government to directly pay public sector salaries in Kurdistan and demanded all revenues be remitted to Baghdad.
Additionally, the court ordered a reduction in the Kurdish parliament’s seats, leading the KDP to boycott upcoming legislative polls. A dispute over oil exports further escalated tensions, resulting in a suspension of exports following an international arbitration favoring federal control over Kurdish oil exports through Turkey. Negotiations for Kurdish oil sales to pass through Baghdad have stalled despite an agreement in principle.
Upon assuming power in 2021, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani initially improved relations between Baghdad and Arbil. However, some pro-Iran Shiite Muslim factions supporting Sudani are now determined to weaken Kurdistan’s autonomy. Political scientist Ihsan al-Shammari highlighted a desire among Shiite politicians to weaken the region out of political vendetta, characterizing recent court decisions as politically motivated.
The current tensions not only strain Arbil’s ties with Baghdad but also seek to diminish the KDP’s influence politically. Internal political rifts between the KDP and the PUK, which enjoys closer relations with the federal government, have always influenced the region’s politics. While PUK chief Bafel Jalal Talabani endorsed the Supreme Court’s decisions, KDP lawmaker Sabah Sobhi criticized them for undermining Iraq’s political system.
The disagreements among Kurdish factions could exacerbate the situation, warned Sobhi, emphasizing the potential impact of internal divisions on the region’s stability and political landscape.
(With agency inputs)