Kurdistan president Barzani to step down

Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, announced on Sunday he would step down from office on November 1.

President Barzani’s powers are expected to devolve to Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, along with other officials.

The president said in a speech that he would continue to work to “achieve the just rights of our nation.”

His decision was on Monday hailed by the U.S. Department of State, which called it “an act of statesmanship in a difficult period” while emphasising that US officials looked forward to working with the prime minister and other officials going forward.

The move came two days after a ceasefire was announced between Iraqi pro-government forces and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, following fighting in the wake of Baghdad’s retaking of the oil-rich Kirkuk area.

The ceasefire put and end to violence that came weeks after areas under the control of the Kurdistan Regional Government, including Kirkuk, voted overwhelmingly to secede from Iraq in a referendum that incensed the central government alongside neighbours Iran and Turkey, which are also home to significant Kurdish minorities.