In the shadow of corruption, unemployment, economic crisis and internal turmoil, Iraq is holding early elections on October 10 to elect 329 members of parliament. Early elections, announced by Mustafa Kazimi, who started his duty as Prime Minister on May 7, 2020, the elections announced to be held on 31 July 2020 and planned to be held on 6 June 2021, were postponed to October 10. While the participation rate in the elections in Iraq, where there were 24 million voters in 2018, remained at 44.5 percent, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) had 25, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (YNK) had 18, the Goran Movement had 5, and the Turkmen Front had 3 deputies. It is expected that 25 million voters will vote in the early elections to be held on October 10.

 

Experienced journalist Necmettin Salaz, who has been working in the Federated Kurdistan Region for years, evaluated the background of the Turkmen Front's decision to support the KDP in the elections to the Mesopotamia Agency (MA).

 

KDP AND TURKMEN COOPERATION

 

Expressing that an election system has not been established in the Iraqi Parliament, Salaz reminded that forming a government alone is not possible. Expressing that the presence of groups based on sectarian and religious politics and even a small group changing sides in the elections will effect the election results, Salaz stated that the elections are like a referendum for Federated Kurdistan. Noting that the majority of the votes in Federated Kurdistan were split between the KDP and the PUK, Salaz said that the election results could change in favor of the PUK. Stating that the weight of the electorate that the KDP receives votes from is around Hewlêr, Duhok and Zaho, Salaz said that Turkey's presence in the region and its interventions in rural areas have eroded KDP politics.

 

Noting that the KDP sought alliances with other groups in the region to prevent possible loss of votes, Salaz emphasized that the PUK and Goran Movement also decided to participate in the elections with a joint list.

 

KDP'S SHENGAL PROVACATION

 

Pointing out that the KDP is trying to attack the Shengal Autonomous Region by using the election campaign as an excuse, Salaz said, “The KDP has the intention of deploying military forces here on behalf of the Turks. Shengal is a place with a population of 400-500 thousand including its villages. Its people are Yazidis. They do not consider the KDP very friendly. The KDP took advantage of this election and tried to build a military build-up there. They tried to enter Shengal with around 100 armored vehicles, but the people and the Self-Defense Forces prevented it.”

 

TANKS, CANNONS AND THOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS..

 

Criticizing the statement of the United Nations in which it said the election campaing of the KDP was blocked, Salaz said: "The UN is not an organization that looks too closely into the region. Strangely enough, it made a statement saying, "The KDP's election work has been blocked." The UN, which did pay any attention to the Yazidis when they were massacred, now sends a message protecting the KDP. Someone needs to ask the UN: "Where have you seen a party carrying out an election campaing with tanks, cannons and thousands of soldiers?" The Shengal Assembly made a statement saying, "Our door is open to everyone and we will help everyone, but we will not let anyone who comes with a tank or a cannon". KDP officials said they would destroy them by declaring them a 'gang'. We wouldn't be surprised if there is a provocation of the KDP there."

 

'THEY ARE MERCENERIES OF TURKEY'

 

Emphasizing that the KDP also formed an alliance with the Turkmen Front, Salaz noted that the Turkmens in Federated Kurdistan are armed by the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and SADAT, which is also affiliated with Turkey.

 

Adding that Turkey started flights between Istanbul and Kirkuk and that SADAT and MIT agents went to the region to prepare the Turkmen for a war against the Kurds, Salaz said, “A certain number of armed forces have been formed with the training provided by SADAT. Some of them were taken to Turkey and trained, and some of them were trained here. Turkmens are acting in line with Turkey's instructions. Turkmens are now the merceneries of Turkey. They have recently set up checkpoints in some areas. They established a checkpoint in the area called Altu Köprü (Pirdê) between Kirkuk and Hewlêr. They decided to enter this election together with the KDP. Turkey previously worked separately with the Turkmen and the KDP, but now it has brought the forces of the two together to unite and act together. The elections is a cloak. Turkmens and KDP have come together. This means that we would not be surprised if we see Turkmen in the operations in the upcoming days, especially in the attacks on the Freedom Movement.”

 

'TURKEY HOLDS THE LEASH OF THE KDP'

 

Expressing that Turkey holds the leash of the KDP, Salaz continued as follows: "It is not likely that Kurdish National Unity will be established through a structure involving the KDP from now on. KDP started to support Turkey's war. It started to take part in the actions of MIT both in the countryside and in the city center. This being the case, it is hostile to both the PUK and the freedom movement. In fact, the KDP is hostile to anyone who is from them. KDP can only take its place in the national unity with a serious self-criticism.”

 

MA / Ömer Akın