Shirwan Zirari, the spokesperson for the Kurdistan Independent High Referendum and Election Commission, informed that more than three million people voted in Monday’s referendum on the independence of Iraqi Kurdistan, reported Rudaw news agency.

Even though the election precincts were officially closed at 7pm local time, voters who were still waiting in line were given the opportunity to cast their ballot also after the closing of these polling stations.

The Kurds, who are about 40 million people, are the largest ethnic group without a country of their own. They primarily live in Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran.

Iraqi Kurds are the closest to gaining independence. Iraqi Kurdistan, which is the unofficial name of the Kurdistan Region, has a broad autonomy status within the boundaries of Iraq.