Basra and Kut officially call for semi-independent regions
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The southern Iraqi provinces of Basra and Wasit have officially called on Baghdad to recognize them as semi-autonomous regions, giving the regions similar rights as the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Mohammad Osman, a member of the region and provinces committees for the Iraqi Cabinet, told Rudaw.
“Until now, the provinces of Basra and Wasit have officially called on the Iraqi government for self-governance and being independent from Baghdad just like the Kurdistan Region, which has its own government and parliament,” Osman said.
He added that upon the request of Wasit officials, his committee visited the main Wasit city of Kut to follow up on the claims.
“We will be visiting other cities in Iraq to follow up on their requests, because according to the Iraqi constitution, each Iraqi province and some provinces together can call for independent regions and self-governance within Iraq,” Osman told Rudaw.
“Until now, the provinces of Basra and Wasit have officially called on the Iraqi government for self-governance and being independent from Baghdad just like the Kurdistan Region, which has its own government and parliament,” Osman said.
He added that upon the request of Wasit officials, his committee visited the main Wasit city of Kut to follow up on the claims.
“We will be visiting other cities in Iraq to follow up on their requests, because according to the Iraqi constitution, each Iraqi province and some provinces together can call for independent regions and self-governance within Iraq,” Osman told Rudaw.