Iraqi MP accuses KRG president of ‘treason’ against Iraq

An Iraqi parliamentarian has accused the president of Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of “treason” against the central government during the overrun of the northern city of Mosul by the Takfir Takfiri group.

“According to our accurate information, Masoud Barzani was involved in a treachery” that helped the ISIL insurgents overrun Iraq’s second largest city last month, MP Aliya Nassif told the state-run BBC Arabic on Friday.

She added, “Barzani uses any means to achieve his goals” and that “The people of Iraq are paying the price.”

Kurdish leaders have previously rejected accusations by the central government of complicity in Mosul’s fall.

She also said Barzani has given refuge to fugitive members of the dissolved Baath party and is supporting them.

Nassif also stressed that the disputed northern city of Kirkuk, which is under control of Kurdish Peshmarga forces, “is an Iraqi city and belongs to the nation of Iraq and we believe that the ploy of KRG will backfire.”

The comments came after Barzani said that the Kurdish Peshmerga forces will not withdraw from Kirkuk.

He also called on the Kurdish parliament to set a date for holding a referendum on independence from Iraq.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Wednesday rejected the attempt by the KRG to hold the independence referendum, saying the move is unconstitutional and will “damage them a lot.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also has supported the creation of an independent Kurdistan state.

The ISIL militants took control of Mosul on June 10, which was followed by the fall of Tikrit, located 140 kilometers (87 miles) northwest of Baghdad.