Kurds Boycott Cabinet After Maliki Blocks Cargo Flights

Kurdish Officials Want 'Hysterical' Maliki Ousted

Tensions between Iraq’s central government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) are soaring further today, with reports that Prime Minister Maliki has imposed a ban on all cargo flights into Kurdistan, after accusing the Kurds of aiding ISIS in their takeover of western Iraq.

The Iraqi Transportation Ministry has refused to offer any details, or to confirm that the blockade was even in effect, but several nations have confirmed being informed by Iraq they aren’t allowed to fly cargo into Kurdistan anymore.

The Kurds have announced they are boycotting all cabinet meetings in Baghdad indefinitely, and while they haven’t yet announced if they’re attending Sunday’s parliament session, they seem even less likely to agree to a unity government.

Lashing Maliki’s allegations as “hysterical,” the Kurds are demanding his immediate resignation, while the PM insists he won’t step down or give up on a third term under any circumstance.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.