Supporters of Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) shout slogans during a protest against the Kurdish independence referendum in northern Iraq, in Istanbul on September 17, 2017. Kemal Aslan / Reuters
Supporters of Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) shout slogans during a protest against the Kurdish independence referendum in northern Iraq, in Istanbul on September 17, 2017. Kemal Aslan / Reuters
Supporters of Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) shout slogans during a protest against the Kurdish independence referendum in northern Iraq, in Istanbul on September 17, 2017. Kemal Aslan / Reuters
Supporters of Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) shout slogans during a protest against the Kurdish independence referendum in northern Iraq, in Istanbul on September 17, 2017. Kemal Aslan / Re

Turkey army conducts military drill at Iraq border, army says


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Turkish armed forces began a military drill at the Iraqi border on Monday, the army said, a week ahead of a referendum on Kurdish independence in northern Iraq which Ankara has asked to be called off.

The drill came after Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim said the planned September 25 referendum was an issue of national security, and warned that Ankara would take any necessary steps in response.

Turkey, the United States and other countries have advised authorities in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region to cancel the vote, worrying that it will create tensions which will distract from the war on ISIL in Iraq and Syria.

On Sunday, UN secretary general Antonio Guterres also called on the Kurdistan Regional Government to scrap the referendum, saying any dispute between Baghdad and the KRG should be resolved through dialogue and "constructive compromise".

With the largest Kurdish population in the region, Turkey also fears a "Yes" vote would fuel Kurdish separatism in its south-east, where militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have waged an insurgency for three decades.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday he will meet Iraqi prime minister Haider Al Abadi this week to discuss their concerns about the referendum.

In a statement, the military said its operations targeting militant groups in the Iraq border region would continue at the same time as the drill.

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Company Fact Box

Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019

Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO

Based: Amman, Jordan

Sector: Education Technology

Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed

Stage: early-stage startup 

Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.

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