Iraq bars party from polls in Kurdish region for alleged PKK links

"Judicial authorities in Baghdad informed us that they have banned the al-Amal list from participating in the elections" on July 25, AFP quoted Ali Qader, the head of the electoral commission in the regional Kurdish administration in northern Iraq, as saying.  

"Our list was banned for political reasons," Najiba Omar, who heads the al-Amal, or Hope in Arabic, list, was also quoted by the agency as saying.

The list is dominated by the al-Hal party, seen as having close links to the terror organization PKK, which launches cross-border attacks on Turkey from bases in northern Iraq, AFP said.

"Our list is independent and al-Hal has participated in elections twice before" in the regional Kurdish administration, Omar said, adding that the grouping would appeal the decision.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey and much of the international community, including the EU and the United States.