US-listed Terror Group to Join Kurdistan Elections
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US-listed Terror Group to Join Kurdistan Elections

ERBIL — For the first time, a group designated on the US terror list will participate in the Kurdistan Region’s elections, raising concerns about the Region's political direction.

The Babylon Movement, led by Rayan al-Kildani—who is sanctioned by the US for terror activities—has announced its involvement in the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region, casting a shadow over the process.

According to the Babylon Militia Group's press office, Kildani met with Bafel Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), on September 21 in Dabashan. The meeting, aimed at securing the Babylon Movement’s participation in the KRG’s sixth parliamentary session, signals growing alliances between controversial figures and key Kurdish political parties.

Kildani later boasted on X (formerly Twitter) about his discussions with Talabani, emphasizing their shared commitment to the elections. However, Kildani’s involvement, along with his militia’s checkered history, has raised eyebrows in both local and international circles.

The Babylon Movement, tied to the Babylon Militia, seeks to bolster its political foothold in the Kurdistan Region. Kildani confirmed efforts to forge alliances with influential forces in the region. Talabani’s welcoming of Kildani, despite international concerns, has been noted as a strategic yet questionable move, given the group’s US terror listing.

In a concerning development, Talabani and Kildani reportedly reached an agreement to secure the last Christian parliamentary seat in the Sulaymaniyah constituency for the Babylon Movement. Kildani also met with Helen Akram Dankha, a former Christian candidate backed by the PUK, who withdrew her candidacy in support of Kildani’s group—a decision likely to further fuel political tensions.

The Babylon Movement’s participation comes after Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court decision in February 2024 to reduce the number of parliamentary seats in the Kurdistan Region to 100. Of these, five seats are reserved for minority communities, including Christians and Turkmen. The allocation of these seats, especially in Sulaymaniyah, has stirred controversy, with some decisions being made without PUK leadership input, deepening internal divisions.

The involvement of a US-listed terror group in the political process has raised concerns about the implications for the Region’s stability and its standing on the international stage.

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