Turkey on Wednesday warned that a plan by the leadership in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region to hold a referendum on independence next month could lead to civil war, in Ankara's strongest warning yet against the poll.

"In that country (Iraq), which has been through so many problems, a referendum on independence can make the situation even worse," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the state TRT Haber broadcaster. "God forbid, it could even bring it to civil war."

Source: AFP