Iraqi Kurdistan has announced that they are planning to hold an “extraordinary session” of their regional parliament to discuss the growing unrest and demand for reforms amongst protesters.
Protests and the violent crackdowns against them have been growing over the past week, and the final toll of last week’s Sulaymaniyah protests have at least three people killed and another 121 wounded.
The protesters were demanding better living conditions and anti-corruption efforts before being set upon by the Peshmearga, the military loyal to the Kurdistan Regional Government. The government has defended the killings as self-defense.
The Kurdistan ruling coalition of the KDP and the PUK also announced an emergency meeting in Arbil today which was to include party leaders from every opposition party in the region. A number of the opposition groups, notably Goran, have backed the protesters’ calls for reform.