THE power sharing in Iraq has been very critical and ongoing dispute between the central government of Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) after the fall of Saddam Hussain in 2003.

Two years later, on 15 October this year, the Iraqi Constitution was drafted, approved and signed by all the new ruling parties. Theoretically the constitution consists of Seven Sections which are vital and demand the rights for all Iraqis without any discrimination.

After decades of deprivation, social, cultural or political inequality affected us all as Kurds, Arabs and other minorities, the country held a free election for the first time in its history under the supervision of US-led collation and global organisations.

Jalal Talabani was elected as first Kurdish president in the history of Iraq. The time-healing process was expected to be short and has reached its distance of the end, however, restless political spectrum had vanished and swept Iraqis dream for having a democratic state and that instability had incited fears between everyone.

The intervention of so called Islamic State in north west Iraq in June, 2014 had shaken the stability of the country. The remarkable partition of Mosul put the country under threats and central government showed a reluctant response.

After a heavy joint operation between KRG and Central Government, with support of US-led coalition air strikes, the city of Mosul was recaptured and an epic long battle came to the end in July, 2017.

The Kurds voiced out their independency by calling for a referendum, but that raised an acrimonious objection from Baghdad and disunited Iraq. Despite that disagreement, KRG had voted a big YES for independence of Kurdistan on 25 September, 2017 and neglected any official talks from Baghdad.

The relation between Erbil and Baghdad has gone sour and opened a new phase of internal conflicts threatening the disputed areas in Kirkuk. On the early Monday 16 October 2017, the Iraqi troops recaptured the disputed areas and regained control of the North Oil Company (NOC) in Kirkuk as well as the K1 military base, which has been under the control of Kurdish forces since 2014.

Kurds in Kirkuk fled towards the north and the city was under jeopardy. Erbil and Sulaymaniyah were flooded with refugees. In fact, there was a limited exchange of fire between Kurdish forces and the Iraqi army which led to casualties between both sides.

Resentment was widespread towards the leadership that had failed to provide political rights for the Kurds. In fact, the current situation is pending demise and there was some considerable skepticism between the Kurdish parties. As a Kurdish Iraqi, I have a mixed feeling and little confidence to see a major positive developments in Iraq and in Kurdistan in particular.

Rzhwan Jaff