About 72 percent of 4.6 million registered voters cast ballots, with about 2.9 million voting »yes« to independence and about 224,000 »no« , the Kurdish Independent High Electoral Referendum Commission reported.
    The announcement of the results, broadcast on Kurdish-run television, is likely to further escalate tensions in the region, where the landlocked Kurdish enclave is surrounded by countries opposed to the referendum.
    Mr. Abadi, speaking to Parliament on Wednesday, said Iraq would not negotiate with the Kurds unless they annulled the results of the vote.
    Iran and Turkey also objected to the referendum, fearing unrest by their own Kurdish minorities. The two nations have conducted military exercises on their borders with Iraq near the Kurdish enclave and have threatened sanctions. Iraqi troops have taken part in the Turkish exercises

Iraq,s Kurds announced a massive »yes« vote for independence on Wednesday following a referendum that has incensed Baghdad and sparked international concern.
    Official results showed 92.73 percent of voters backing statehood in monday,s non-binding referendum, which Iraq,s central government rejected as illegal. Turnout was put at 72.61 percent.
    Kurdish leader Massud Barzani and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi engaged in a war of words.
    It has raised fears of unrest and the possibility of a military confrontation involving the Kurds, who are key allies in internationally backed offensives against the jihadists of the Islamic State group.
     Tuesday a day after the Kurds staged an independence referendum in their autonomous region.
    Longtime Iraqi Kurd leader Massud Barzani said the vote would not lead to an immediate declaration of independence and should instead open the door to negotiations.
    But Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told lawmakers on Wednesday there was no question of using its results as the basis for talks. "The referendum must be annulled and dialogue initiated in the framework of the constitution".
    In a televised address late on Tuesday, Barzani had urged Abadi "not to close the door to dialogue because it is dialogue that will solve problems".
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    AFP: All foreign flights to and from the Iraqi Kurdish capital Erbil will be suspended from Friday, officials said, as Baghdad increases pressure on the Kurds over this week,s independence referendum.
    The move by the Iraqi central government marks the first major step taken in retaliation for Monday,s vote, which delivered a resounding 92.7 percent »yes«.