On 9 February 2017, RUSI, the University of Birmingham and the University of Exeter, through ESRC funding, hosted a roundtable to discuss the challenges in reconstituting Iraq after the battle against Daesh (also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS), focusing in particular on the relationship between Baghdad, the Kurdistan Region and the disputed areas between them. 

This report summarises the major conclusions and talking points of the discussion, which focused mainly on four key topics: Iraqi identity and sectarian dynamics; the possibility and consequences of decentralisation; intra-Kurdish tension and the future of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG); and the role of the international community. 

Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi is a Research Fellow in International Security Studies at RUSI.

Aaditya Dave is a Research Intern in International Security Studies at RUSI.

Gareth Stansfield is Professor of Middle East Politics at the university of Exeter, and a Senior
Associate Fellow of RUSI.

Stefan Wolff is Professor of International Security at the University of Birmingham and an
Associate Fellow of RUSI. His expertise is in the international management of intra-state conflict
and war-to-peace transitions.

Banner image: Female Zeravani soldiers, who are a branch of the Peshmerga, attend a three-week basic infantry skills course intended to improve their tactical knowledge to aid in the fight against Daesh. Courtesy of US Army/Spc. Jessica Hurst.