BAGHDAD: Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday accused Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region of harbouring militants, further racketing up tensions despite calls for leaders to unite against militants offensive.
And in scenes reminiscent of the brutal sectarian war of 2006-2007, when tens of thousands were killed, the authorities found the bodies of 53 men who had been bound and executed south of Baghdad.
A militant-led offensive that started a month ago and soon overran swathes of five provinces north and west of Baghdad has displaced hundreds of thousands and heaped pressure on Maliki as he bids for a third term.
But he potentially damaged his efforts to retain the post by turning on Kurdish leaders based in the northern city of Arbil and accusing them of hosting militants behind the onslaught.
"Honestly, we cannot be silent over this and we cannot be silent over Arbil being a headquarters for Daash, and the Baath, and Al-Qaeda and terrorist operations," Maliki said, without elaborating.
Daash is the former Arabic acronym for the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, which Kurdish forces are in fact fighting against in the north, while Baath refers to the banned party of executed dictator Saddam Hussein, whose regime killed tens of thousands of Kurds.
"Mlitant groups will lose, and their host will lose also," Maliki said on television. The comments will likely bolster supporters of independence for the Kurdish region in northern Iraq, which plans to hold a referendum on the issue.
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