Iraqi Kurdistan's Brewing Crisis

Three people were killed and 20 wounded in the clashes between demonstrators and security. Before Kaladize calmed down, street protests erupted in the center of Sulaimaniyah and in the towns of Ranya, Kelar, Pencewin, Halepce and Koysancak.

The Kurdish region, which is not accustomed to popular protests, was facing major demonstrations. KDP offices were the main targetsin many places; some were set on fire, and the police saved others. The Islamic Komal and Yekgirtu parties were also targeted.

Several days of clashes ended with five deaths and about 200 wounded. The headquarters of Rudaw, the largest media outfit in the region, suffered an armed attack.

Street protests and violence amplified the political crisis. Most of the demonstrators were Gorran Movement for Change partisans, which brought Gorran and the KDP into confrontation. The KDP accused Gorran of being responsible, while Gorran blamed the KDP.

Party rhetoric escalated tension, which climbed yet another notch when parliamentary speaker Yusuf Muhammed, a Gorran member, was not allowed to enter Erbil. A KDP official claimed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants were among the demonstrators. While efforts were being made to resolve the crisis, Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani of the KDP removed four Gorran ministers from his Cabinet.

Mehmet Oguz, editor of Turkish media portal Rudaw Media Group, told Al-Monitor the central government in Baghdad's refusal to pay the budget share of the Kurdistan region, combined with clashes with the Islamic State (IS) and the influx of refugees, has made life difficult for the Kurdish government. He said with declining oil prices, oil exports were not a solution.