Kirkuk Awaits Kurdish Independence

Sep 22, 2017, 10:16 AM

What is going to happen to Kurdistan? There are just days to go until this northern region of Iraq votes on whether to declare independence - the latest news is that discussions are still on-going, with Iraq's central government trying to persuade the Kurdish authorities to stop or at least suspend next Monday's vote. But so far, it looks like the vote to secede will go ahead, and most observers expect a resounding Yes result. One of the most serious points of contention is the Kirkuk area - which is rich in oil, and which the Iraqi Government doesn't recognise as part of Kurdistan at all, with it's mixed population of not just Kurds, but Arabs and the Turkamen people as well. It's also an area still partially under the control of Islamic State - The BBC's Paul Moss travelled into Kirkuk Province, and sent this report