Iraq court rules Kurdistan secession vote unconstitutional

Iraq's Supreme Federal Court has ruled Kurdistan’s controversial secession referendum as unconstitutional, saying the results of the vote are void.

"The Federal Court issued the decision to consider the Kurdish region's referendum unconstitutional and this ruling is final," a court spokesman said on Monday.

The tribunal is responsible for settling disputes between Iraq’s central government and regions including Kurdistan. The verdict is final and cannot be appealed.

"The power of this ruling should now cancel all the results of the referendum," the spokesman added.  

Political observers have warned that KRG’s referendum scenario is in line with Israel’s policy of dividing the regional Muslim states.

After the referendum, Baghdad ordered the KRG to hand over airports in the regional Kurdish capital of Erbil, and the city of Sulaimaniya, as well as its border crossings to the central Iraqi government.

It also asked the KRG to either cancel the result of the plebiscite or face potential sanctions, international isolation, and military intervention.

SS