Shiite militia spokesman denies ‘Kurds are biggest problem after ISIS’

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Shiite militia spokesperson denied on Saturday that his group believes Kurds are the second-largest problem in Iraq, after ISIS.

Naaim al-Abudi, the spokesperson for the Shiite Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq militia in an exclusive interview with Rudaw rejected claims that Qais Al-Khazali, leader of the militia made such an inflammatory statement.

“Not Qais Al-Khazal nor Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq have said Kurds are a part of their problem,” al-Abudi said, adding that the speech of their leader had been distorted.

In an interview with a local Iraqi TV station last week Al-Khazali said, “After ISIS, Kurds are the greatest problem, especially Mr. Masoud Barzani. And solving the problems or peace with them is impossible.”

Khazali noted that “it is very unlikely that a decisive peaceful project with the Kurds will happen.”

Khazali also accused Kurds of annexing territories during the fight against ISIS. A logical solution, he explained, is for Kurds “to return to the pre-2003 borders.”

 

As a Shiite Iraqi leader, he claimed, he will not accept “the status quo” Kurds have been talking about regarding territories they have brought under their control. “I do not agree with any territory that Kurds have annexed under the imposing politics of status quo,” he stressed.

 

Al-Abudi did not dispute this part of Khazali’s interview and also criticized comments made by Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Region, regarding the borders of the Kurdistan Region.