Kurds back SOFA as Christians grow wary

ERBIL, Iraq, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Iraqi Kurds called on Baghdad to sign the long-term security arrangement with Washington despite a growing sentiment of dissatisfaction with the accord.

Kurdish President Massoud Barzani called for swift movement on the bilateral measure set to replace the U.N. security mandate for Iraq, which expires at the end of December.

The president said his government had established five committees in Baghdad to deal with the security arrangement, the Kurdistan Regional Government said in a news release.

Barzani said it was imperative to reach an agreement with Washington, provided the measure does not violate the sovereignty of the country.

Meanwhile, members of the Iraqi Christian community continue to raise allegations that Kurdish interests are behind the growing number of attacks against the religious minority in the northern parts of the country.

During the weekend, Yonadam Kanna, an Assyrian lawmaker, called on the international community to launch a formal investigation into the attacks.

"If the Iraqi security service is unable to disclose which group pushed these terrorists to force the Christians out of Mosul, we will then ask for an international investigation to find out the truth," he said.