Barzani urges against violence

Masoud Barzani, the former president of the autonomous Kurdish region in Iraq, has urged all parties "not to resort to the language of weapons and violence in resolving conflicts".

"We are following with concern the recent events and developments in Iraq," he said in a statement, as reported by the Iraqi News Agency, INA.

Barzani also called on all sides to "think about solutions that bring good to the Iraqi people and take into consideration the general interest of the people and the country".