Baghdad said it will seek to take control of Kurdistan-based mobile networks and move their operations to the Iraqi capital and take control of the disputed territories which are under KRG control.
Iraqi government announced new sanctions against the Southern Kurdistan Administration after today’s National Security Council Meeting headed by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi.
The Prime Minister’s Office released a statement after the meeting and wowed to restore Federal authority in the disputed territories which are currently under Kurdistan Regional Government’s administration.
The Security Council also decided to hand over control of telecommunications in the Kurdistan Region to the Federal Government’s authority by ordering their headquarters to move to Baghdad.
Currently Korek and Asiacell are two operators which are based in Hewler and Sulaymaniyah. Another operator Zain is based in Baghdad.
The government didn’t provide any details on how the measures against telecommunication companies will be implemented or whether the licences of the companies will be withdrawn.
Abadi’s government also launched a lawsuit to prosecute state employees in the Kurdistan Region who voted in the Sep. 25 referendum.
Baghdad has already imposed sanctions against Kurdistan Region, including a ban to international flights after the controversial independence referendum which was approved with an overwhelming majority of 92 percent.
