UN Security Council Voices Concern over Tension in Iraq

The members of the council called on the parties to refrain from the use or threat of use of force and to engage in constructive dialogue as a pathway to de-escalation and as a means to preserve Iraqi unity, said Francois Delattre, the French ambassador to the United Nations, who serves as Security Council president for the month.

The council recalled the need for the rights and aspirations of all Iraqi citizens to be met through the full implementation of the Iraqi Constitution, he told reporters after Security Council consultations on Iraq, Xinhua news agency reported.

Noting the willingness of the federal and regional governments to engage in dialogue, the council encourages them to set up a timetable for talks in a speedy manner, he said.

The council members reaffirmed their respect for Iraq's sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity, and stressed the importance of remaining focused on efforts to defeat the Daesh (also known as ISIL or ISIS) terrorist organization, said Delattre.

Tensions have been running high between Baghdad and the region of Kurdistan after the Kurds held a controversial referendum on the independence of the Kurdistan region and the disputed areas. Iraqi federal forces are on an offensive to retake territory under Kurdish control.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that civilians continue to flee their homes in northern Iraq. By Thursday, at least 166,000 people have been displaced, the majority from Kirkuk province in northern Iraq, said OCHA.

Aid workers are helping people in need where they have access, providing food, water, blankets and other supplies, said Farhan Haq, a UN spokesman, adding that mobile teams are providing health care.

Also in Iraq, OCHA estimates that half a million people have been affected by military efforts to re-take the ISIL-held districts in the western province of Anbar. UN aid agencies are ready to help people fleeing the area, said Haq.