09/04/2024
New on Fikra Forum:
"Competition over Kirkuk: Between Internal Conflicts and Regional Rivalries"
By Mohanad Faris
"In many ways, Kirkuk is a microcosm of Iraqi society and politics, home to Sunni and Shia, Kurds and Arabs, and minority groups like Turkmen and Christians. As a result, all of Iraq’s major political players are invested in Kirkuk Governorate, each with their own conflicting hopes and aspirations. For example, the two major Kurdish parties—the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)—both operate there. Generally speaking, the KDP has ties to the Turkish government, while the PUK is closely linked with the Shia Coordination Framework and Iran."
Kirkuk’s future remains uncertain due to the lack of any consensus-based projects between the governorate’s political actors. Even if these longtime rivals find a way to participate in the local government, it is possible that a slight grievance could devolve into political deadlock.
