ERBIL — US Congressman Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said that he firmly believes in Kurd’s right to self-determination.

In a statement on Kurdistan Region’s independence referendum, Engel said “it’s no wonder” that Kurds are seeking self-determination to protect themselves in the future, given the fact that they have endured “campaign after campaign of atrocities” for decades.

Kurdistan Region has played a significant role in hosting nearly two million IDPs and refugees from Iraq and Syria, and the Peshmerga actively participated in the fight against Islamic State (IS), Engel explained.

“Now, with ISIL’s demise in sight, the Kurdish people face additional threats from Shia militias seeking to exacerbate sectarian and ethnic tensions,” he said.

The US congressman affirmed his strong support for independence of Kurdistan Region. “I firmly believe in the Kurdish right to self-determination,” he said.

Engel urged all parties in the region to establish an independent state for Kurds. “Now that the Kurdish independence referendum has concluded, I urge all parties in the region to find a way forward that will build a strong home for the Kurdish people,” he noted.