US warns citizens of unrest in Iraq during Kurdish referendum

The US on Sunday warned its citizens resident in Iraq about possible unrest in the Arab country resulting from an independence referendum scheduled to take place in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan.

In a brief statement, the US embassy in Iraq explained that it will temporarily limit the movement of personnel as a precautionary measure, Efe news reported.

"US Embassy Baghdad cautions US citizens in Iraq that there may be unrest if the Kurdistan Regional government carries out an independence referendum on September 25," the statement said.

"In particular, US citizens should avoid travel into and within territories disputed between the Kurdish Regional Government and the Government of Iraq," it reiterated with reference to areas beyond the administrative borders of the Kurdish region that are controlled by the Kurdish forces Peshmerga.

Washington is opposed to the independence referendum.

On September 20, the US government urged leaders of Iraqi Kurdistan to suspend the ballot and to negotiate with Baghdad.

Iraqi Kurdistan has enjoyed regional autonomy since the early 1990s, a status bolstered in the 2005 constitution that defined Iraq as a federal state.

--IANS

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