Iraqi Kurdish opposition party Gorran calls on Barzani to step down

FILE PHOTO: Iraqi Kurdish President Masoud Barzani casts his vote during Kurds independence referendum in Erbil, Iraq September 25, 2017. REUTERS/Azad Lashkari

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Gorran, a main opposition party to Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, called on Sunday for his resignation, and for a "national salvation government" to be formed to deal with crisis pitting the Kurds and the central Iraqi authorities.

Gorran, or the Change Movement, blamed Barzani for the "disaster" facing the Kurds after the loss on Oct. 16 of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, captured by Iraqi forces in retaliation to a Kurdish independence referendum held last month despite warnings from Baghdad and neighbouring Iran and Turkey.