Masoud Barzani's stepping down as president of Iraq’s semiautonomous Kurdish region reversed years of political and military gains made by the Kurds and dashed their dreams of statehood, Wall street Journal reported Monday.

Barzani refused to remain in office beyond November 1 in a letter read to the Kurdish parliament on Sunday before a session to discuss how the president’s powers should be redistributed. 

The resignation is the latest fallout from the Sept. 25 referendum, which raised fears of a civil war between Kurds and Iraqis.

Barzani insisted on holding the ballot despite objections from Baghdad, regional powers, the U.S. and even some of his own associates, who warned against alienating the Kurds’ allies and further antagonizing their enemies.

The region voted last month for Kurdistan to secede but Iraq’s central government said the referendum was illegal.

Source: MENA