After the results of Iraqi Kurdistan independence referendum held in September were frozen, military operations started to take place in disputable territories for Iraq on October 23 (Iraqi authorities executed forceful and punitive actions), which negatively affected the Kurdish-speaking Armenians. Turkologist, Kurdologist Karen Hovhannisyan talked about this at the meeting with reporters. He noted that Armenians were subjected to violence and expulsion particularly by Turkmens.
“At the beginning of military operations, a relatively tolerant policy towards Armenians was conducted: they were trying not to notice the latter. But in the end of October, the situation changed for the Armenians who had supported the referendum. One of the Turkmen groups began to oppress the Armenian population and the Yezidis”, the expert informed.
Karen Hovhannisyan noted, that before the Iraqi Kurdistan referendum, its leader, Masoud Barzani, had announced that the referendum would improve the situation for Armenians living in Kurdistan, but this did not happen. According to the expert, Barzani had also promised to declare Armenian as one of the state languages of Kurdistan.
Luiza SUKIASYAN
