Kirkuk parties back temporary suspension of protest over security concerns

DIYALA, Iraq — Political parties in Kirkuk have thrown their support behind the temporary suspension of a public demonstration in Khanaqin that had been driven by security considerations, the parties said in a joint statement. The decision will remain in place until a Khanaqin delegation reaches Baghdad and completes meetings with the Iraqi president and other senior officials, the statement added. The parties said security arrangements prepared for the protest were not sufficient to guarantee the safety of participants. They described the demonstration, held by residents of Khanaqin, Jalawla, Sadiya, Mandali, Khar Tepe and Jabara, as a message to relevant parties about what the statement called violations of Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution regarding the region's Kirkuk identity and constitutional rights. The parties called on the four Iraqi presidential offices and Kirkuk's representatives in Baghdad to respond to the population's legitimate demands as soon as possible. They also demanded the release of those detained during the protests and the lifting of arrest warrants issued against political figures, activists and young people. The statement said participation in such demonstrations should be treated as an expression of civil and constitutional rights within a legal framework, and that all constitutional and legal avenues would continue to be used to defend the rights of Kirkuk-affiliated areas in Diyala province. No further details on the Baghdad meetings or the timeline for resuming the protest were immediately available.