04-08-2025
KDP, Turkmen Front unite to shape Kirkuk's future
Shafaq News – Kirkuk
A high-level Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) delegation met, on Monday, with the Iraqi Turkmen Front in Kirkuk to negotiate political representation, power-sharing, and future governance in the contested, multiethnic province.
Talks focused on building local consensus and resisting top-down federal decisions, with both sides rejecting what they described as the 'al-Rashid Hotel government'—a reference to Baghdad's centralized policymaking. They emphasized that Kirkuk's future must be shaped by its residents, not dictated by federal directives or foreign agendas, urging a reset in Erbil-Baghdad ties built on mutual respect and shared interests.
Turkmen Front Leader Mehmet Seman Aga reiterated the Turkmen bloc's resolve to pursue unified political action, stressing their refusal to be sidelined in Iraq's national framework.
Kirkuk, 300 kilometers north of Baghdad, is home to Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, and Christians, with vast oil reserves fueling political and sectarian tensions.
