Established 1961 7 International Sunday, May 13, 2018 Iraq minorities fear new upheaval in multiethnic Kirkuk after vote Tensions resurface between ethnic, religious groups KIRKUK: The streets of Kirkuk, which has violently control of the army. As a Turkmen in a Kurdish-controlled changed hands several times since Iraq’s last election, are city I had problems - I was stopped and harassed at crammed with a dizzying patchwork of banners for nearly checkpoints for not being a Kurdish speaker,” Zeinal said. 300 candidates vying for votes in the multi-ethnic and Kurdish campaigning has been subdued after the with- religious city. The sheer number of parties and lists make drawal of forces belonging to the autonomous Erbil-based the exact outcome unpredictable in a vote for the 13 par- Kurdish regional government, although dejected Kurdish liamentary seats belonging to Kirkuk, a microcosm of voters still vowed to turn out and cast their ballots in a Iraq’s minorities. But one thing is certain - the city’s show of strength. Turkmen, Kurds, Assyrian Christians, Sunni Arabs and oth- “Arabs have become more powerful now, also ers will vote along ethnic or religious lines. After recent Turkmen,” said Nabil Salem, a Kurd. “People are scared of political upheaval, they fear that gains by rival groups will sectarian tension being stirred up. If more Kurds leave and upset a fragile coexistence and cause new strife. other groups get stronger it could lead to violence.” Some “There needs to be balance between minorities in a Kurds fear a weakening of their main parties who have place like Kirkuk - one group can’t get stronger than the dominated for decades but suffered a major defeat after other,” said Ahmed Zeinal, a 25-year-old pharmacist, Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi, the incumbent in the elec- before casting his vote. Nonetheless, he wanted his fellow tion, crushed their bid for independence. The Kurdish Turkmen to make a strong showing. “We’re hoping to autonomous region’s ruling party, the Kurdistan increase our seats. We feel stronger than we did a few Democratic Party (KDP) is boycotting the Kirkuk vote months ago,” he said. Yesterday’s election, Iraq’s first since after being booted out in October, leaving rivals including Islamic State was driven out, will shape attempts to heal the Iran-allied Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) to fight the country’s deep divisions and could shift the regional over its two seats. balance of power. The three main ethnic and religious groups, the majority Shiite Arabs and the minority Sunni Courting Christians Arabs and Kurds, have been at loggerheads for decades. As the city’s two largest groups are locked in con- Kirkuk, a flashpoint oil-rich province in northern Iraq tention, its smallest - Christians - suspect their eight can- along the fault lines between the Kurdish autonomous didates, guaranteed one seat under a quota system, are region and areas controlled by Iraq’s Shiite-dominated being courted by bigger, rival political forces in Baghdad central government, has been the focus of some of the and Erbil. They fear being caught in the middle of yet country’s worst post-Islamic State violence. In October, more upheaval. “There’s no Christian candidate who can KIRKUK, Iraq: Electoral campaign posters are seen in the multi-ethnic city of Kirkuk. —AFP Kurdish forces who had controlled Kirkuk city since driv- afford to run without the support of a much larger side,” ing Islamic State out in 2014 were in turn ejected by the 28-year-old Narsin Emmanuel, an unemployed university Samir Abram, a member of one Christian party, leveled province, for example, there’s one who’s on the side of the Iraqi army, bringing the city back under Baghdad’s control. graduate. “I hope that whichever Christian candidate more direct accusations at rival Iraqi Christian lists. Popular Mobilization Forces,” an umbrella group of mainly Minority groups who said they suffered under Kurdish wins a seat, he’ll benefit personally from it - he won’t be Reuters could not independently verify his claims. “There’s Shiite militia, he said at his party’s office in Kirkuk. “We’re rule, such as the Turkmen, have welcomed the return of the able to do anything for us because he’ll be beholden to one Christian candidate running here who’s clearly backed a small and weak minority. I’m afraid that we’ll get stuck central government. “I prefer a strong Iraqi state, and the his backers.” by the Kurdish KDP. Elsewhere - in (nearby) Nineveh between those two sides vying for power.— Reuters Israel-Iran flare-up raises a specter of Aid groups sound major confrontation alarm over CAR’s PARIS: Deadly strikes by Israel against alleged Iranian conflict victims sites in Syria have raised fears of a dramatic escalation in regional conflict, but the situation remains shrouded by BANGUI: International aid organizations sounded the contradictory accounts and uncertainty. Israel says its alarm over a spike in violence in Bangui, the capital of raids early Thursday were in immediate response to the perennially restive Central African Republic (CAR), Iranian missiles raining down on the occupied Golan saying they had no access to the injured and the Heights. But there has been no official statement from Iran, dying. Twenty-four people were killed and more than and analysts in Tehran say any missile strikes were con- 170 injured in Bangui on May 1, raising tensions and ducted by the Syrian military. fears of a return to sectarian bloodletting in the one of Outside observers see a dangerous game of brinkmanship. the world’s poorest and most unstable countries. “The rules of the game are worked out by trial and error, by The violence began with a confrontation between push and shove. The pushing and shoving has become more security forces and militiamen in Bangui’s flashpoint intense. We are getting closer to the brink,” said Heiko PK5 district, which is predominantly Muslim. The Wimmen, of the International Crisis Group. Israel has repeat- ensuing bloodbath has sparked near daily clashes and edly warned it considers an entrenched Iranian military pres- seen at least two mosques torched. On Sunday, two ence in war-ravaged Syria to be a dangerous red line. people were killed and 10 injured in shooting between GOLAN HEIGHTS: An Israeli soldier stands next to Merkava Mark IV tanks in a deployment area near the In recent years, it has been suspected of carrying out security forces and gunmen. “Since the start of April, Syrian border in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights. — AFP strikes on installations manned by Syrian, Iranian, and allied the humanitarian situation has declined rapidly,” the Lebanese fighters across Syria. It was only a matter of time Committee for the Coordination of International before Iran pushed back, said Wimmen. “The point will southern Syria was meant to reduce violence, but Israel Several analysts said the key to avoiding a more serious NGOs in CAR said in a statement. It said it was come with these actions, where the Iranians will say: we has not been reassured. Wimmen said two actions could escalation lay with Moscow, which has ties with both “sounding the alarm given the absence of humanitari- have to push back forcefully, we have to establish deter- trigger a large-scale confrontation: a missile killing civil- Tehran and Tel Aviv. “Unless Russia steps in, and plays the an aid in some areas of the city,” particularly PK5 and rence against the Israelis if we want to stay in Syria,” said ians in the Israeli-occupied Golan, or retaliation against referee between Israel and Iran, the risk of escalation is its outlying areas. Wimmen. Israel, too, may feel emboldened by US President Israel by Hezbollah. But analysts based in Tehran deny Iran certain,” said Heras. But an analyst at London’s Chatham “The residents do not have access to basic servic- Donald Trump’s decision this week to withdraw from the is seeking direct conflict with Israel. Foad Izadi, of the House, Yossi Mekelberg said that the strikes on Iranian es, including health care. Humanitarian workers are 2015 Iran nuclear deal. “Israel has been chomping at the bit world affairs department at the University of Tehran, said targets “were likely undertaken with tacit Russian often denied access to women, men and children who to take a big bite out of Iran’s forces in Syria,” said Iran was not in Syria to fight Israel-however often the approval”. “Russia is not happy with Iran gaining too need assistance. The impact of the security situation Nicholas Heras, of the Center for a New American Security. Israelis may say otherwise. much power, too much influence there,” he said. on humanitarian needs is extremely worrying,” a “Iran’s deterrence against Israel is done in Lebanon Israel is thought to have conducted at least three sepa- statement said. “In no case should humanitarian work- ‘A nightmare scenario’ with more than 100,000 missiles, not in Syria,” he said, rate attacks against Iranian positions in Syria in recent ers and the wounded be targeted by acts of violence,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees that hinting at Lebanese movement Hezbollah’s stockpile of weeks, with the deadliest killing seven Iranians in a Syrian said Benjamin Vienot, the country head of Action decision as a “green light to go after Iran in Syria, the con- rockets. And Mohammad Marandi, an analyst who was airbase on April 9. There are varying death tolls for Contre la Faim (Action Against Hunger). The lawless- sequences be damned,” said Heras. “The Israelis believe part of Iran’s negotiation team leading up to the nuclear Thursday’s strikes, ranging from three dead acknowledged ness is prevalent throughout Bangui with armed they are facing a nightmare scenario right now, where Iran deal, said the conflict was more about Damascus than by Syria’s army to 23 killed according to a war monitor.