Iraq’s Kurds fear border disputes
As the departure of US troops looms, Iraq’s Kurds fear conflict unless territory issues are resolved.
In less than six months, the nearly 46,000 US troops still deployed in Iraq will leave the country.
But for Iraq’s Kurds, the scheduled withdrawal is a big concern, as they try to resolve disputes over territory.
An entire US division is deployed in and around the disputed area to keep security and as a buffer between Iraqi army forces and Kurdish fighters who police the semi-autonomous Kurdish region.
Although the two sides publically deny the threat of any future dispute and emphasis their joint co-operation, there is a serious risk of a possible return to a bloody conflict.
Al Jazeera’s Omar Al Saleh reports from the Kurdish region of Iraq.