Egypt’s Sisi Calls Independence for Iraq’s Kurds ‘Catastrophic’

CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stated on Sunday that a referendum regarding the independence of Iraq’s Kurdish region would result in a “catastrophic” fragmentation of the nation, which is currently facing threats from Sunni Islamist militants.

Sisi’s remarks, as leader of the most populous Arab country, reflect increasing regional concern that the potential division of Iraq could further empower insurgents who have proclaimed a “caliphate” on territories taken in both Iraq and neighboring Syria.

During a meeting with local journalists, Sisi commented, “The referendum that the Kurds are proposing is essentially the beginning of a disastrous division of Iraq into smaller, competing states.”

This statement comes after Massoud Barzani, the president of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region, urged the local parliament to prepare for a referendum on independence.

Iraq’s Kurdish population, approximately five million, has managed self-governance relatively peacefully since the 1990s. Recently, they have expanded their territory by about 40% due to the advance of Sunni Islamist militants who have seized extensive regions in western and northern Iraq.

Egypt, traditionally a diplomatic heavyweight in the region, has faced significant domestic challenges following the 2011 uprising that deposed long-time President Hosni Mubarak.

Sisi emphasized that he had warned both the United States and Europe about the ambitions of the Islamic State militants, who have abbreviated their name from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

“I warned the United States and Europe about ISIL’s intentions to take control of Egypt,” Sisi remarked, adding that he cautioned against providing any support to these militants, predicting they would move from Syria to target Iraq, and then Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

As a former army chief, Sisi played a crucial role in the ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi last year, following widespread protests against his administration. Sisi’s interim government, which governed until his election, implemented a stringent crackdown on Islamists. Thousands of activists affiliated with Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood have been imprisoned since his removal, and numerous street protesters lost their lives during the unrest.

The Muslim Brotherhood, considered the oldest and most organized political group in Egypt, has since been classified as a banned organization and designated a terrorist group.

(Reporting by Yasmine Saleh; Editing by Sophie Hares)