Iraq Court Bars all Regions from Seceding after Kurdish Bid

The ruling was a response to a request from the central government in Baghdad to put an end to any “wrong misinterpretation” of the constitution and assert the unity of Iraq, a court spokesman said.

Soon after, Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi urged the northern semi-autonomous Kurdish region to abide by the court’s decision.

“We call on the region to clearly state its commitment to non-separation or independence from Iraq,” he said in a statement. There was no immediate reaction from Kurdish authorities.

Iraq’s Kurds voted to secede from Iraq in a referendum held on Sept. 25, defying the central government in Baghdad as well as regional states and the international community.

Abadi said the government was now “taking the necessary measures to impose federal authorities” without going into further details. Baghdad was committed to “preserving Iraq’s unity and preventing any attempt for separation,” he added.

In the weeks after the poll, Iraqi government forces took over control of several parts of the country “disputed” between Baghdad and the Erbil-based KRG, including the oil-rich Kirkuk province.