Masoud Barzani, who spent decades leading the long-oppressed Kurds, confirmed on he was stepping down as president of the Kurdistan Regional Government after his drive for independence backfired.

After decades of struggle, critics say Barzani made one of his biggest mistakes by pushing hard for a referendum on the 25th of September.

Kurds voted overwhelmingly for independence, but won little support outside their region. As well as the Iraqi government, Turkey and Iran threatened to take tough action against any move towards secession, fearing it would encourage their own restive Kurdish populations to follow suit.