Kurdish activists protest against Shiite paramilitaries violations in Erbil
Hundreds of Kurds in Erbil protest against Iraqi incursion
The protesters, according to the report, demonstrated outside the Iranian consulate against the recent incidents that occurred in Kirkuk and other disputed regions. Others protested outside the UN headquarters to voice demands of intervention to protect the Kurdish people and put an end to ‘violations’ by al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilizations Forces).
On Friday, Kurdish President Masoud Barzani urged Kurds based in Europe and U.S. to stage peaceful protests to drum up support for the people and demand from governments of countries they are living in to stop the war and blockade imposed on it.
Several demonstrations were staged over the past week in Netherlands, Sweden and Germany in protest against federal troops which took over Kirkuk province from Kurdish Peshmerga fighters last week, fulfilling instructions previously made by Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi to retake areas where sovereignty is disputed with Kurdistan Region’s Government.
Iraqi government forces approached Friday the southern borders of Erbil, capital of semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region, shortly after engaging in clashes with the region’s forces in Qush Taba and Altun Kupri in northern Kirkuk.