ARBIL: Iraq’s government cut the autonomous northern Kurdish region’s direct air links with the outside world indefinitely on Friday after it voted a massive “yes” in a referendum on independence.

The move effectively isolates and increases the pressure on the Kurds amid soaring regional tensions following Monday’s contentious vote.

The central government in Baghdad had ordered the halt to all foreign flights to and from the region from 6pm. Foreigners scrambled to fly out of Iraqi Kurdistan from the region’s capital Arbil and its second largest city Sulaim­aniyah before the ban took effect. Arbil airport is a key gateway for humanitarian aid workers helping Iraqis affe­cted by the battle against the militant Islamic State group (IS).

Washington has said it would be willing to facilitate talks between the Iraqi Kurdish authorities and Baghdad to calm escalating tensions over the 92-per cent “yes” vote, as a top Shia cleric called for the crisis to be solved in an Iraqi court. Neighbouring Turkey and Iran also strongly opposed the vote, fearing it would inflame the separatist aspirations of their own sizeable Kurdish population.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2017