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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – A group of Sunni Arab tribes threw their support behind the Kurdistan Region, showing solidarity with Erbil amid tightened measures taken by Baghdad against the Region in response to its independence bid.The Sunni tribal leaders met in Erbil on Thursday where they lashed out at recent rulings from the Iraqi parliament and government against the Region. Saying Kurds protected Sunni Arabs in Iraq, the tribal leaders unanimously rejected any sort of punishment imposed on the Region by Baghdad.Following their conference, the Sunni tribal leaders issued a joint statement about Kurdistan’s independence referendum: “The self-determination right is a natural and embodying right admired by all the religious texts.”They asserted that recent parliament rulings are not legal “as the parliament does not have such legal rights to make such decisions.”“The Sunni Arabs voice support and coordination with Kurdistan and honor their will and decisions,” the statement added.They deemed the referendum as the beginning of a new phase of relations to resolve Iraq’s problems and provide equal rights to Kurds, Arabs, Sunnis, Shiites, Turkmen, and Christians."The Sunni Arabs of Iraq are facing the threat of terror. The Iraqi government is pursuing sectarianism as we are prohibited entry into Baghdad for four years now,” complained Najih Mizan, spokesperson of the Sunni Arabs in a press conference.Mizan added, “The Kurds played a fundamental role in the new Iraq. We are rejecting any form of punishment against the Kurdistan Region.”He said they would join “the Kurdistan independent state and our rights will be secured in it.”He decried what he called Sunni elite in the Iraqi government, arguing they do not represent Sunnis as a whole, but implement the agenda of others.Mizan said Iraq has become a sectarian and tribal state under the control of a single party that is under the thumb of Iran. “No one could accept that,” he said.After 92.73 percent of voters chose independence for Kurdistan in Monday’s referendum, Baghdad has rejected the result and issued a series of orders to ban flights, shut the borders, close foreign representations, assert control over oil exports, and deploy troops to disputed areas.Both Erbil and Baghdad are accusing the other of acting illegally and contrary to the constitution.