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Despite Kurdish Peshmerga resistance Iraqi security troops and predominantly Shiite Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) have taken back the key security outposts, including Kirkuk airport and Baba gargar oil field, occupied by the Kurds in 2014.

Kurdish sources report uninterrupted pumping of oil, but fears of oil supply interruption from the second largest OPEC producer have already affected the prices which have registered a slight rise on global markets.

However unpleasant the current situation is for the Kurdish KRG leadership, the timing of the referendum was clearly wrong, and it lacked any substantial foreign support which would have given its cause some legitimacy and chance of success.

While the global powers have many important differences when it comes to the Iraqi and Syrian conflict, there is one issue in Iraq where nearly all have concurring opinions – country’s territorial integrity and the priority of fighting terrorism.

Kurdish president Barzani’s decision to go ahead with the referendum at such an inopportune time has backfired today. Beside failing to gain international support for the Kurdish cause it has created further divisions within Iraqi Kurds. The coming Iraqi elections will probably cost Barzani his power position for good, and could – under the right outcome – fortify Abadi’s position in next year’s elections and help form the stable new Iraqi government in the immediate post-ISIS era – a great and crucial achievement from the regional stability perspective.

The situation remains somewhat tense now, but it is under control, David Babayan, Spokesman for the President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), told Tert.am.

The enemy tried to intrude into the Nagorno-Karabakh territory and was thrown back in all the directions, suffering heavy casualties. The Armenian side put five Azerbaijani tanks out of action.

Time will show how long the situation will last.

“Aliyev has fallen into a bad trap, sacrificing hundreds of human lives, dozens of pieces of military equipment. He has lost 20 tanks, four or five drones. They have hundreds of wounded servicemen. How are they going to explain the purpose of this gamble to their people?”

Speaking of international calls, Mr Babayan said:

“Of course, we highlight such calls. Bu we are expecting a tougher international approach, particularly by the OSCE Minsk Group, as Aliyev’s conduct is inadmissible and it will be a disgrace unless a harsher reaction follows this all.”

This harsh response may not be in public, but it is necessary.

“But we do not let Azerbaijan to take strategic initiative in its hands,” Mr Babayan said.

Watch GagruleLive take on Barzani referendum gamble fails as Iraqi forces retake Kirkuk Video

Azerbaijani president embarks on gamble, afraid of further steps – David Babayan