Islam Times - Maliki: We Can’t Remain Silent over Kurds’ Exploiting of Crisis

Islam Times - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday accused the northern autonomous Kurdish region of hosting terrorists spearheading an offensive that has sparked Iraq’s worst crisis in years.

“Honestly, we cannot be silent over this and we cannot be silent over Arbil being a headquarters for ISIL, and Baath, and Al-Qaeda and terrorist operations,” Maliki said in his weekly televised address.

"We cannot be silent over a movement that exploited the circumstances and expanded," said Maliki, infuriated by a Kurdish announcement last week that plans were being sped up to hold a referendum on self-determination.

Maliki warned the Kurds their decision to burn bridges with Baghdad would backfire. "They (militant groups) will lose and so will their hosts, because they failed to provide an example of patriotic partnership," he said.