Kurdistan flag at the heart of election campaigning in Kirkuk

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) said its election campaign in the disputed city of Kirkuk is going well and Kurdish parties are able to raise the Kurdistan flag anywhere they want since Iraqi forces took control of the province in 2017.

The KDP has been able to "break the fear barrier" since they decided to return to Kirkuk, Mohammed Khurshid, head of the KDP’s election office in the city, told Rudaw in an interview published on Saturday. 

The KDP's offices in Kirkuk were taken over by Iraqi forces in 2017 after Kurdistan’s independence referendum. The party withdrew from the city, condemning what they called an “occupation.” They have returned in order to contest the October 10 parliamentary election. 

The Kurdistan flag has been at the heart of political rivalries in Kirkuk for a long time. When the provincial council, then under the control of Kurdish parties, voted to raise the flag over state buildings in late March 2017, it drew criticism from the government in Baghdad, most of the non-Kurdish parties in the city, and neighbouring countries such as Turkey. When Iraqi armed forces took control of Kirkuk later that same year, one of their first actions was to lower the Kurdistan flag.

Khurshid insists that much has changed since 2017, especially since they re-opened their election office. He claimed raising the Kurdistan flag set a precedent that was followed by other parties. 

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which won almost half Kirkuk’s seats in the last election, said on Saturday they have been told by the election commission that flying the Kurdistan flag is forbidden. PUK’s Ali Qalayi told Rudaw they were told only Iraqi and party flags are permitted, but that their party “won’t abide” by the order.

A source from Kirkuk's Independent High Electoral Commission told Rudaw on Sunday they never issued instructions against the Kurdistan flag. 

The KDP is eyeing a full return to Kirkuk. Opening an election office is one step, said Khurshid. 

“There has been progress and the progress is good. We are waiting for the decision of the leadership of the KDP. As soon they decide, we will go back,” he said. 

The party does not, however, recognize the governor. Baghdad named Rakan al-Jabouri, a Sunni Arab, to replace the Kurdish Najmaldin Karim. 

“He was imposed on the people of Kirkuk with force and is a sign of occupation. We still say that Kirkuk was occupied with the use of full force. The military environment that was created should be removed,” Khurshid said.

Three members of the Iraqi parliament who identified themselves as representatives of Turkmen and Arabs, have called for a weeklong delay of the election in Kirkuk, believing that the Kurdish Peshmerga forces are trying to return under the guise of fighting the Islamic State group (ISIS). They also called on the United Nations and the Iraqi election office to directly oversee the electoral process. The Peshmerga have issued a denial. 

Khurshid said the KDP is prepared to take part in the Iraqi election "now or anytime," but he questioned "how a week can make any difference." 

“This is yet another excuse from those Turkmen and Arab parties aimed to stop the progress made,” he added. 

The UN has 130 observers monitoring the election and has said they will pay "special attention" to Kirkuk because of its "sensitivities."

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