U.S. asks Iraq Kurds to postpone referendum

The United States has asked Iraq's Kurds to postpone a referendum on the independence of their autonomous Kurdish region, planned for Sept. 25, the Kurdish presidency said.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made the request on Friday, during a phone call with the president of Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government, Massoud Barzani.

The U.S. State Department said in June it was concerned that the referendum will distract from "more urgent priorities" such as the defeat of Daesh (ISIS).
  [dailystar.com.lb/Reuters]
12/8/17
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