By Ali Makram Ghareeb, Aladdin Mustafaoglu, and Betul Yilmaz

KIRKUK, Iraq / ISTANBUL (AA) - The Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) unanimously elected Mohammad Semaan Kanani its new leader on Sunday following the resignation of Hasan Turan, its former head.

The front's political bureau accepted Turan’s resignation during an ordinary session and elected Kanani to succeed him, its media office said in a statement.

The statement described the change as “a critical step towards significant unity in Turkmen politics.”

“The new leadership will work to accelerate the achievement of important and strategic goals for Turkmen in Iraq,” it added.