Politics of Iraq

Turkey will gradually close border crossings with northern Iraq in coordination with the central Iraqi government and Iran in response to the Iraqi Kurdistan independence referendum, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Khaln told Reuters.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim is expected to visit Baghdad on Sunday to meet with Iraqi counterpart Hayder al Abadi, informs 24chasa.

More than five million Iraqis have been displaced since so-called Islamic State (IS) took over large swathes of territory in 2014, the UN says, quoted by BBC. 

Lise Grande, the UN humanitarian co-ordinator for Iraq, said 5.4 million civilians had fled their homes over the past three years.

Iraq's central bank on Wednesday eased financial restrictions imposed on the Kurdistan region over its independence vote after receiving a pledge of cooperation from Kurdish banks, an Iraqi banking source said.

All but four Kurdish-owned banks were allowed to resume dollar and foreign currency transfers on Wednesday, the source told Reuters.

A Supreme Political Council was set up in Iraqi Kurdistan to address issues related to the recent independence referendum that angered the central government in Baghdad and neighboring countries. This was announced by DPA and TASS, referring to Kurdish Rudav Portal and Sky News - Arabia.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement on Friday that the United States Government does not recognize the referendum for independence held earlier in the week by the Kurdistan Regional Government.

He also urged all groups with a stake in referendum on Iraqi Kurdistan's independence to reject the use of force.

The president of Iraq’s Kurdish region warned on Friday that the Kurds might be forced to retaliate if the central government persists with what his spokesman called a “very aggressive” stance toward the pro-independence referendum.

International flights to and from Iraq's Kurdistan region were set to end from 6:00 p.m. (11.00 a.m. ET) on Friday, after the central government imposed a ban in retaliation for the region's vote for independence, reported Reuters. 

Comparing the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) ambitions in northern Iraq to the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire during the First World War, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said "new Lawrence of Arabias will not be successful this time"

Turkey held a security meeting on Sept. 27 at the helm of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as tensions rise in the region over an Iraqi Kurdish referendum for independence.

Turkey has issued a new travel warning to Turkish nationals after Turkey's consulate in Arbil announced that Turkish airline companies will halt flying to northern Iraq after 6:00 p.m. on Friday Sept. 29 until further notice at the request of Baghdad, following a referendum for independence held by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).