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Kurds Vote despite their Neighbors’ Threats

An Iraqi Kurdish man poses with his inked fingers after casting a vote during the referendum on independence from Iraq in Irbil on September 25, 2017. Khalid Mohammed / AP
An Iraqi Kurdish man poses with his inked fingers after casting a vote during the referendum on independence from Iraq in Irbil on September 25, 2017. Khalid Mohammed / AP
    Ankara, Erbil, Baghdad - Said Abdul Razak & Asharq Al-Awsat
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Kurds Vote despite their Neighbors’ Threats

An Iraqi Kurdish man poses with his inked fingers after casting a vote during the referendum on independence from Iraq in Irbil on September 25, 2017. Khalid Mohammed / AP
An Iraqi Kurdish man poses with his inked fingers after casting a vote during the referendum on independence from Iraq in Irbil on September 25, 2017. Khalid Mohammed / AP

Iraq and the region entered on Monday the post-Kurdistan referendum phase as the popular vote held in the three Iraqi Kurdistan provinces tuned into a fait accompli.

“The Kurdish political forces that were against the referendum or had some reservations on it finally changed their positions and have strongly participated in the vote,” independent regional sources told Asharq Al-Awsat on Monday.

They added that the high turnout might push worldwide powers, such as the US, to interfere in the next phase and work on holding talks between Erbil and Baghdad.

After the polling stations were close at 6 pm, the electoral commission announced that voters’ turnout has reached 78 percent out of 5.2 million eligible voters.

The referendum was held in the Kurdistan Region’s three provinces: Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Duhok, and in the disputed territories, such as Kirkuk, Khanaqeen and the province of Diyala.

In Kirkuk, the voting day ended by the announcement of a curfew to prevent any disputes between supporters of the referendum and those against it.

Meanwhile, the referendum was held despite neighboring countries threatening to take escalatory measures against the move.

The Iraqi government on Monday voted on a resolution demanding that Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to send troops to all territories that the Kurdistan Region has taken control of since 2003.

Soon after the parliament’s decision, the Iraqi Defense Ministry said it started a joint drill with the Turkish Army at the border.

Ankara also uncovered on Monday a list of expected sanctions against the Kurdistan Region for ignoring its previous warnings against holding the referendum.

The sanctions include closing the Habur border crossing and freezing exports and oil and gas purchases from the Kurdistan Region.

Also on Monday, Iran closed its borders with Iraqi Kurdistan before reopening it again later, asserting that it only closed its airspace on flights to and from the Kurdistan Region.

Meanwhile, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern about the potentially destabilizing effects of the referendum while the White House said it hopes a unified Iraq will “annihilate” ISIS and push back on Iran.

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Arab World

Houthis in Yemen Strip their Head of Govt of his Powers

The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)
The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)
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Houthis in Yemen Strip their Head of Govt of his Powers

The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)
The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)

The Iran-backed Houthi militias have prevented their so-called prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahwi, from naming the head of his office.

The Houthis have instead forced him to appoint a person of their choosing against his wishes, revealed informed sources in the Houthi-held capital Sanaa.

The Houthis are attempting to strip al-Rahwi, who was named as head of the militias’ new government, of his powers, making his appointment simply a cover for imposing their agenda and favoring Houthis who are descended of the line of their leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi.

The sources revealed that al-Rahwi had headed to the government headquarters with Rabih al-Mehdi, the director of the office of his predecessor. Mehdi hails from the Abyan province that is held by the legitimate government.

Al-Rahwi was seeking to keep al-Mehdi in his post. However, a leading Houthi member, Mohammed Qassem al-Kabisi, who used to occupy the position of government secretary, barred him from making the appointment.

Kabisi even prevented al-Mehdi from entering his office, resulting in an argument with al-Rahwi.

Kabisi informed al-Rahwi that he had no authority in naming the head of his office, saying that he does instead.

Al-Rahwi turned to the Houthis’ so-called ruling high political council to resolve the dispute and was informed that he should accept Kabisi as head of his office despite his objection.

A decree was issued days later naming Kabisi to the post.

He will effectively hold absolute power in government, while al-Rahwi will simply play a figurative role and only be needed to approve decisions and procedures taken by the Houthi leadership, joining other ministers who have no real duties.

The Houthis have formed a new government that will follow in the footsteps of its predecessor in keeping actual power to the militias themselves.

The new lineup includes a pro-Houthi figure, with no diplomatic background or experience, who was named foreign minister, replacing leading General People's Congress member Hisham Sharaf.

The appointment only fueled claims that the Houthis were seeking to eliminate their partners from rule. Al-Rahwi himself had no say in the lineup.

The Houthis announced the formation of their government on August 12. It met on August 17 to discuss its program, referred it to parliament the same day and by the next morning, an announcement was made that it was approved with no amendments or objections.

The incident with al-Rahwi has fueled speculation that the coming period will witness more struggles for power among the Houthis and their partners, whom they are trying to keep out of rule.

Observers noted that Kabisi is the son of a top Houthi leader. Qassem al-Kabisi is one of the founders of the group and is close to their leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi.

The senior Houthi officials believe they have the right to represent the Houthis in rule since they are its founders and oldest members.