Fight against the Islamic State The political tensions that have characterized the Arab part of Iraq since the withdrawal of US forces in December 2011 have also affected Kurdistan. The Kurdish leaders joined forces behind Sunni Arabs who accused the country’s then prime minister of gathering power in Shiite hands. In 2013, fighting and suicide bombings took place… Read More »
Kurdish self-government After the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, the Americans set up a provisional Iraqi administration. The no-fly zone ceased to exist, but Kurdish regional autonomy remained. In 2005, a new Iraqi constitution was adopted and elections to a parliament were held. Elections to the regional parliament and to the provincial councils were also held in Kurdistan. Massoud… Read More »
In Iraq, the Kurds live mainly in the northeast. The Iraqi Kurds have had Kurdish-language schools and other national rights that Kurds in neighboring countries lacked. At the same time, during the 20th century, they were subjected to more extensive and bloody persecutions than any other Kurdish group. Today, the Kurds have autonomy in northern Iraq, a country… Read More »