It is reported that more than four million Kurds voted in the referendum, and this is almost 73 percent of the population.

The referendum was held yesterday, despite the fact that Baghdad was against and pulled government troops to the borders of the autonomy.

The president of the regional government of Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani, said that this was only a preparatory step towards gaining independence and no one is going to force events without the consent of the authorities of the region.

He also recalled the high price that the Kurdish people paid in the war against the "Islamic state".

The US, Iran, Turkey expressed their special concern over the Kurdish referendum. Countries believe that a positive result of the referendum could lead to destabilization of the situation in the Middle East.

As reported in "URA-Inform", the Turkish authorities stated that in case of escalation of the conflict on the borders of the country, in connection with the conduct of the Kurdish referendum, the latter will take all measures permitted by international law.