KRI: Leaders of KDP and PUK meet, decide to "face challenges together"

KRI: Leaders of KDP and PUK meet, decide to "face challenges together"
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In a meeting of the leaders of the two largest political parties in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Barzani and Talabani have decided to "face challenges together."

The leaders of the two major political parties in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) met on Thursday in capital Erbil, as the impacts of a Turkish military campaign in the region is felt more strongly after a deadly shelling on 20 July, and as the political deadlock in Iraq has been exacerbated by Sadrist protests in Baghdad's Green Zone, followed by Muqtada al-Sadr's call for the dissolution of the Iraqi Parliament and snap elections.

Masoud Barzani, the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and Bafel Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), discussed the current political situation in Iraq, and came up with a decision "to face challenges together," Rudaw reported.

The disagreements between political parties in Iraq over the formation of a new government has turned into a chronic crisis, as all attempts failed since the elections last October.

KDP and PUK are part of the current deadlock as both are racing over the position of the country’s president.

The latest Turkish military campaign in KRI soil also sparked a crisis when nine civilians were killed and many injured in an artillery strike on 20 July, which according to Iraqi government officials were carried out by Turkish forces.

KDP, as the ruling party in KRI, has been subjected to constant criticism for allowing and even assisting Turkish forces conduct a large scale military campaign in the region and occupy parts of it.