Iraq’s Saleh calls Kurdistan to secure the protestors

Shafaq News / The Iraqi President, Barham Salih, issued on Tuesday a statement regarding the events in the city of Sulaymaniyah and the situation in the Kurdistan Region.

"We have been following with great concern the developments and consequences of demonstrations in the city of Sulaymaniyah, which resulted in many injuries of citizens and security forces, and extensive property damage." Saleh said in the statement.

He added, "Iraq supports demonstrators’ right to peaceful protest and urges all involved to refrain from violence."

Saleh also said that the protesters “deserved Kurdish leaders who listen to them and change course to respond to popular demands for transparency and accountability”.

"We urge the Security Forces to refrain from violence, and not to restrict the press’ work," he added.

In the other hand, The Iraqi president stressed citizens to respect the security forces and preserve public property."

He also called on "the Kurdish government to work hard to reach an agreement with the federal government with regard salaries and the region's financial dues."

Demonstrators have taken to the streets in and around Al-Sulaimaniyah for several days demanding their salaries and criticizing the KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which controls the Al-Sulaimaniyah area.

The KDP-dominated Kurdish regional government, based in Erbil, has been hit by a nationwide economic crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen Iraq’s oil revenues slashed.

Iraq depends on oil exports for virtually all its state revenue, including some 250,000 barrels per day from Kurdish areas.