Unfinished stories: Kirkuk on the brink

The multiethnic province of Kirkuk stands on the brink of a political conflict that may turn violent, as current governor Rebwar Taha - a Kurd and a senior member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) - has signaled unwillingness to relinquish his post.

Arab members of the Kirkuk provincial council say they endorsed Taha’s appointment based on an agreement with the PUK that now entitles them to govern the oil-rich disputed province, claimed by both Erbil and Baghdad. 

Taha was appointed governor per an accord struck during a contentious meeting held in Baghdad in August last year. The session came after months of negotiations between local political parties. Only nine council members attended the meeting - five from the PUK, three Arabs, and one Christian quota member.

Importantly, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Turkmen Front, and Sunni Arab Alliance boycotted the session, calling it illegal and later challenging it in court. However, the judiciary ultimately upheld Taha’s governorship.

Rudaw's Hevidar Ahmed recently visited Kirkuk to gauge public sentiment. He spoke with both the governor and Arab politicians, some of whom warned that the situation could turn violent if Taha refuses to hand over power. 

When asked if he intends to step down by the end of the year, as Arab parties demand, Taha avoided a direct answer, hinting instead that he plans to remain in office.

“We have set a good master plan that I will announce soon, and we will show the people a complete picture of Kirkuk’s future that we will implement,” he said. “We are setting a good foundation and when we set a foundation for something, we must see it through.”

Speaking to Ahmed, Dhaher al-Assi, a Sunni Arab member of Kirkuk’s provincial council, threatened legal action if Taha remains in power. While he downplayed the risk of an ethnic conflict between Kurds and Arabs, he did not rule out rising tensions with the PUK. 

“The dispute won’t intensify between Arabs and Kurds,” Assi said, adding, “It will intensify between Sunni Arab politicians and PUK politicians … because no one side should monopolize power in Kirkuk.”

As the political deadlock deepens, Kirkuk’s future remains uncertain.