Erdogan warns Kurds: You'll pay.

Iraqi Kurds strongly supported independence in Monday's referendum, challenging neighbouring countries that fear the pro-independence vote could fuel Kurdish separatism at their borders and lead to any new conflict.

“They are not forming an independent state, they are opening up a wound in the region to put a knife in it”, Erdogan told his party members in the eastern Turkish town of Erzurum.

We don't regret what we did in the past. But after circumstances have changed and the Kurdish Regional Government, which we had offered all support to, took steps against us, it must pay the price”, he said.

Turkey has repeatedly threatened economic sanctions, cutting its main access to international markets, and maintaining joint military exercises with Iraqi troops at the border.

However, after Erdogan said Iraqi Kurds would remain hungry if Ankara imposed sanctions, he also said these sanctions would not charge civilians, but those who organised the referendum.