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Haider Abadi needs to save face with this. Iran and Turkey are looking to him to quash the uprising. My interest is in the absence of the U.N.

The Kurds got belted under Sadam and the U.N. and humanitarian aid raced in to help. Now they are on their feet and facing off against 3 neighbours and the U.N. are nowhere to be found. Kurds have a right to self determination under the Declaration of Human Rights.

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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kurds-kirkuk-iraq-state-forces-impose-security-peshmerga/

 

October 16, 2017, 5:37 AM

Kurds say "lots of casualties" as Iraqi forces move on Kirkuk

iraq-kirkuk-kurds-ap-17289259691043.jpg#

Local police are deployed in Kirkuk, 180 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq, Oct. 16, 2017. 

 
 AP

Last Updated Oct 16, 2017 8:22 AM EDT

KIRKUK, Iraq -- Iraqi Kurdish officials said early Monday that federal forces and state-backed militias had launched a "major, multi-pronged" attack aimed at retaking the disputed northern city of Kirkuk, causing "lots of casualties" in fighting south of the city, but the U.S. military -- allied with both sides in the standoff -- dismissed it as an early morning "misunderstanding."

Kurdish forces known as the peshmerga were digging in at the edge of the international airport after withdrawing from their positions outside the city. Hundreds of armed Kurdish residents were taking up positions inside the city anticipating an attack.

Residents of the multi-ethnic city, home to some 1 million Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen and Christians, stayed inside and reported hearing sporadic booms they said sounded like shelling and rocket fire.

The Kurdistan Region Security Council said in a statement that the peshmerga had destroyed at least five U.S.-supplied Humvees being used by the state-sanctioned militias following the "unprovoked attack" south of the city.

Brig. Gen. Bahzad Ahmed, a spokesman for Kurdish forces, said federal forces had seized an oil and gas company and other industrial areas south of Kirkuk in fighting with Kurdish forces that caused "lots of casualties," without providing a specific figure.

He said Iraqi forces have "burnt lots of houses and killed many people" in Toz Khormato and Daquq, south of the disputed city. His claims could not be independently verified.

Iraq's Interior Ministry said in a brief statement that federal forces had taken control of a power plant, a police station and industrial areas near Kirkuk. It provided no further details on the fighting or casualties in what it referred to as Operation Impose Security on Kirkuk.

The Reuters news agency quoted two Iraqi military commanders as saying they had no orders to enter Kirkuk, but that state forces were working to "secure the surroundings" of the northern city.        

In a statement released later Monday, the U.S.-led military coalition in Iraq said it was "monitoring movements of military vehicles and personnel" in the Kirkuk area, but that so far nothing it had seen represented "attacks."

The statement said the coalition "was aware of reports of a limited exchange of fire during predawn hours of darkness Oct. 16. We believe the engagement this morning was a misunderstanding and not deliberate as two elements attempted to link up under limited visibility conditions."

The coalition reiterated that it "strongly urges all sides to avoid escalatory actions."

Tensions have soared since the Kurds held a non-binding referendum last month in which they voted for independence from Iraq. The central government, along with neighboring Turkey and Iran, rejected the vote.

The United States has supplied and trained Iraqi federal forces and the peshmerga, both of which are fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The U.S. also opposed the referendum, and has urged both sides to remain focused on defeating the extremists.

U.S. Army Col. Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition, tweeted that it was "closely monitoring sit. near Kirkuk; urge all sides to avoid escalatory actions. Finish the fight vs. #ISIS, biggest threat to all."

On Friday, before fighting began in earnest, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis noted that American troops were working on the ground with the Iraqi forces, and told reporters the U.S. was "working too to make certain we keep any potential for conflict off the table."

"we're trying to tone everything down and figure out how to go forward without losing on sight on the enemy and at the same time recognizing that we've got to find a way to move forward. Geography's not going to change. They're going to be alongside each other no matter what. So we've got to work on this," Mattis said

The central government and the autonomous Kurdish region in the north have long been divided over oil revenues and the fate of disputed territories like Kirkuk that are controlled by Kurdish forces but are outside their self-ruled region.

The Kurds assumed control of Kirkuk, in the heart of a major oil-producing region, in the summer of 2014, when ISIS militants swept across northern Iraq and the country's armed forces crumbled.

Iraq has since rebuilt its armed forces with considerable U.S. aid, and they are battle-hardened and flush with victory after driving ISIS from most of the territory it once held.

On Friday, speaking to reporters Friday on a flight out of Miami, Mattis said he hoped both sides could "stay focused on defeating ISIS. We can't turn on each other right now. We don't want this to go to a shooting situation."

"As ISIS goes down the old problems are going to come back to the fore, is what you're saying. And these are issues that are longstanding in some cases. In some cases we'd made progress and some of that progress has been eroded in the process of fighting ISIS, and that's normal," said Mattis, adding, "we're going to have to recalibrate and move back to a way we solved them politically and worked them out with compromise solutions."

The Kurdish security council said the assault launched late Sunday was aimed at entering the city and retaking the K-1 military base and nearby oil fields -- a feat the Iraqi state forces quickly accomplished, according to some reports.

The Kurds vowed to fight back against any attempt by federal forces to seize Kirkuk's international airport.

"We are not withdrawing from here, we are fortifying our positions at the airport and we intend to fight here," Maj. Gen. Ayoub Yusuf Said told The Associated Press. He says his forces have been battling since early Monday and suffered casualties, without elaborating.

State-run Al-Iraqiya TV had earlier reported that federal forces rolled into parts of the countryside outside Kirkuk without facing resistance. However, some residents of the city and an Iraqi militia commander reported shelling.

Al-Iraqiya carried a statement from Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office saying he had ordered federal forces to "impose security in the city in cooperation with the inhabitants and the peshmerga," indicating he was willing to share administration.

A commander of the local Kurdish police force said his forces remained in control of the province's disputed oil wells. "There's been no agreement to hand over the wells until now. As for the future, I don't know," said Bahja Ahmad Amin.

Iraq's state-sanctioned militias, the mostly Shiite Arab Popular Mobilization Forces, were ordered to stay out of the city, according to al-Abadi's office, and instead keep positions in the countryside. They are viewed with deep suspicion by Kurdish residents, who see them as beholden to Iran rather than Iraq's central government. The predominantly Shiite militias are sponsored and guided by Tehran.

Ercuman Turkman, a PMF commander, said shortly before forces began moving in that he expected orders to move on Kirkuk's oil wells, its airport and the nearby K-1 military base, but not the city. Haytham Hashem, another PMF commander, reported shelling on his position in Toz Khormato, 6 miles from the edge of Kirkuk city.

Baghdad has been turning the screws on the Kurdish region since the September referendum, pushing Kurd leaders to disavow the vote and accept shared administration over Kirkuk.

Iraq's government barred international flights to and from the region and asked neighboring Turkey and Iran to close their borders. Iran closed its three official crossings with the Kurdish region Sunday, Kurdish media reported. It also froze currency transfers to four banks operating in the Kurdish region.

Al-Abadi has demanded shared administration over Kirkuk. His Cabinet said Sunday that fighters from Turkey's Kurdish insurgency, the PKK, were beginning to appear in Kirkuk, and declared that would be tantamount to an act of war.

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http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/battle-iraqi-city-kirkuk-matters-50513454

 

Why the battle over the Iraqi city of Kirkuk matters

  • By PHILIP ISSA, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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BAGHDAD — Oct 16, 2017, 1:27 PM ET
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IRAQ KIRKUKThe Associated Press
Map locates Kirkuk, Iraq and nearby oil fields.; 2c x 3 inches; 96.3 mm x 76 mm;

 

Iraqi forces entered the disputed northern city of Kirkuk on Monday, forcing Kurdish fighters to withdraw just three weeks after holding a controversial referendum on support for independence from the central government. Here's what you need to know:

WHY?

Kirkuk has found itself at the heart of a long-running dispute between Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region and its central government that reached fever pitch after Kurdish authorities staged a non-binding independence vote in late September.

The city sits on the edge of an expansive oil field that can be tapped for about a half million barrels per day. And while Iraq's oil revenues are supposed to be shared, disputes among the provinces have often held up transfers, leading parties to find leverage in holding the fields.

When Iraq's armed forces crumbled in the face of an advance by Islamic State group in 2014, Kurdish forces moved into Kirkuk and secured the city and its surrounding oil wells. The city falls 32 kilometers (20 miles) outside the Kurds' autonomous region in northeast Iraq.

Baghdad insisted the city and its province be returned, but matters came to a head when the Kurdish authorities expanded their referendum to include Kirkuk. To Baghdad, it looked like a provocation that underscored what it sees as unchecked Kurdish expansionism. The city of more than one million is home to a mix of Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen, as well as Christians and Sunni and Shiite Muslims.

HOW DID IT HAPPEN?

Swiftly. Iraq's army, its anti-terrorism forces and the federal police began their operations before dawn Monday. By late afternoon, they were in control of several oil and gas facilities, the airport, and a nearby military base.

Kurdish officials accused the Iraqi army of carrying out a "major, multi-prong attack," and reported heavy clashes on the city's outskirts, but a spokesman for Iraq's state-backed militias said they encountered little resistance. The vastly outmatched Kurdish fighters withdrew from the city en masse, and journalists were left to wander into abandoned barracks and administrative buildings.

Local police forces remained in the city at the invitation of Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi who called on civil servants to stay on and serve their constituents. He has said he wants to share administration of the city with the Kurdish authorities and called on Kurdish forces, known as the peshmerga, to serve under the umbrella of Iraq's unified military command.

"We have only acted to fulfill our constitutional duty and extend the federal authority and impose security and protect the national wealth in this city," said Abadi.

Abadi, in a bid to allay concerns of sectarian strife, promised the country's predominantly Shiite Popular Mobilization Forces would not enter Kirkuk, but Associated Press reporters saw Turkmen militiamen taking up posts in the western part of the city. The Iranian-sponsored militias are viewed with deep suspicion by Iraq's Kurds, who see them as a policy implement of Tehran that threatens demographic change.

Thousands of revelers waving the Iraqi Turkmen and Iraqi national flags were celebrating the transfer of power in downtown Kirkuk by nightfall, but thousands more were fleeing the city with their belongings to the neighboring Kurdish region, fearful of national or militia rule.

FRICTION BETWEEN U.S. ALLIES?

The dispute over Kirkuk has pit two of the U.S.'s closest allies in the war against the Islamic State group against each other. The U.S. has armed, trained and provided vital air support to both sides in their shared struggle and called the frictions a distraction against the most important fight.

But for parts of Monday, Iraqi and Kurdish forces turned their weapons against each other. The Kurdistan Region Security Council said early Monday that the peshmerga destroyed at least five U.S.-supplied Humvees being used by Iraq's state-sanctioned militias.

It's the timing of the dispute that underscores how fragile Iraq is now. It was only three months ago that the peshmerga, federal forces, and the PMF were maneuvering alongside each other to recapture Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, from IS, and two weeks ago that they expelled them from Hawija, their last bastion in northern Iraq. With IS now defeated there, the danger for Iraq will now likely come from its own divisions.

WHAT'S NEXT?

It will take time for Iraq and its Kurdish region to restore amicable relations after the strains of the past three weeks. Baghdad wants the Kurds to disavow the overwhelmingly in-favor referendum result. This has been refused by Irbil, the Kurdish capital.

Talks between the two sides are now likely to focus on easing sanctions against the Kurdish region, including those on the banking sector and against international flights.

There is considerable distrust between Baghdad and Irbil dating back to Saddam Hussein's wars against the Kurdish region and forced Arabization of some of its cities.

But the two sides also rely on each other, especially in fragile economic times. The Kurdish region is responsible for up to a quarter of Iraq's oil production, while Baghdad controls the currency and several pipelines in and out of north Iraq. The Kurdish region is presently entitled to 17% of Iraq's federal budget, of which the Kurds are expected to try to negotiate a bigger share, in addition to greater autonomy.

Inside the Kurdish region, elections are slated to be held next month and the two major parties will be looking to leverage the crisis to win votes. It is no accident, analysts say, that President Masoud Barzani, whose term expired in 2015, slated the referendum two months before elections. He hopes to cast himself as a visionary for the Kurds, they say, even if he can't deliver on the dream of independence.

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https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/iraqi-forces-seize-kirkuk-from-kurdish-fighters-1.667553

 

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Iraqi forces seize Kirkuk from Kurdish fighters 

 

State television said that Iraqi prime minister Haider Al Abadi gave orders to armed forces to “take over” security in Kirkuk

 

Mina Aldroubi

October 16, 2017

Updated: October 16, 2017 09:10 PM

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This still image from a video provided by RUDAW TV shows what the Irbil-based Kurdish broadcaster says are Peshmerga fighters and volunteers arriving on military trucks in Kirkuk, Iraq. The Associated Press This still image from a video provided by RUDAW TV shows what the Irbil-based Kurdish broadcaster says are Peshmerga fighters and volunteers arriving on military trucks in Kirkuk, Iraq. The Associated Press

Iraqi forces captured the city of Kirkuk on Monday from Kurdish fighters in response to Kurdistan's vote on independence.

A convoy of armoured vehicles from Iraq's counter-terrorism forces seized the provincial government headquarters in the centre of Kirkuk, less than a day after the operation began.

Kirkuk's governor Najm Eddine Karim, who refused to step down after being sacked in response to the province taking part in the vote last month, was not there at the time.

It comes three weeks after the Iraqi Kurdistan region held a controversial independence vote that included the city of Kirkuk, although it lies outside the Kurdistan region.

Iraq’s prime minister Haider Al Abadi, said the vote, which overwhelmingly backed secession, was "unconstitutional".

On Monday, Mr Al Abadi said the operation in Kirkuk was necessary to "protect the unity of the country, which was in danger of partition" because of the referendum.

Baghdad described the advance as largely unopposed, and urged the Kurdish security forces known as Peshmerga to cooperate in keeping the peace.

In response, the Kurdish Peshmerga troops said Baghdad would be made to pay "a heavy price" for triggering "war on the Kurdistan people"

Peshmerga forces took the control of Kirkuk and surrounding oil fields in 2014 to prevent ISIL from seizing the city.

Kirkuk is a mix of ethnicities, including Arabs, Turkmen and Kurds and is claimed by both the Kurdistan Regional Government and the central government in Baghdad.

The offensive took place a day after the powerful Iranian general, Qassem Suleimani, met with Kurdish officials in Kurdistan. The commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps’ overseas operations provides training and weaponry to Iraq’s Shiite militias, which took part in the operation to oust Kurdish forces from Kirkuk.

The development follows Mr Al Abadi's appointment of an Arab politician named Rakan Saeed to replace Mr Karim as the governor of Kirkuk.

The appointment follows Mr Karim’s strong endorsement for the Kurdish independence referendum to be held within Kirkuk.

The development comes as Washington called for calm on both sides, seeking to avert an all-out conflict between Baghdad and the Kurds that would open a whole new front in Iraq's 14-year-old civil war and potentially draw in regional powers such as Turkey and Iran.

Earlier on Monday, Iraqi forces took control of a military airport from Kurdish forces near the south of the city of Kirkuk, where there was a “security vacuum”, according to a local official.

Arshad Al Salhi, a member of the Iraqi parliament and head of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, told The National that the Peshmerga “have withdrawn from the centre of Kirkuk leaving a security vacuum which has enabled armed fighters from the PKK to enter".

The PKK, also known as the Kurdish Workers' Party, is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey and the US.

“The outskirts of Kirkuk are under the control of the Iraqi forces," Mr Al Salhi said.

By the evening they had moved into the centre of the city.

A spokesman for Iraq's state-sanctioned militias said they had "achieved all our goals" in retaking areas from Kurdish forces in and around Kirkuk.

Ahmed Al Assadi said federal forces came under fire from "some rebels" after launching the operation early on Monday and returned fire.

The Iraqi forces took several positions south of Kirkuk from Kurdish forces, including the North Gas Company station, a nearby processing plant and the industrial district south of the city.

Their mission was to take back military bases and oil fields, which Kurdish Peshmerga fighters took in 2014 during fighting with ISIL.

Meanwhile, Turkey said it was ready to help the Iraqi government oust Kurdish fighters from Kirkuk.

Ankara, which fears independence moves by the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government could spark similar moves by its own Kurdish minority, hailed the Iraqi forces' operation to clean up Kirkuk from the PKK.

"We are ready for any form of cooperation with the Iraqi government in order to end the PKK presence in Iraqi territory," the Turkish foreign ministry said.

_____________

Read more:

Kurds, Iraqi forces in standoff in oil-rich Kirkuk

Iranian general Qassem Soleimani visits Iraqi Kurdistan amid standoff with Baghdad

_____________

 

The Iraqi government said that "as security forces advanced in Kirkuk, regional party militias from outside of Kirkuk attempted to disrupt the coordinated movements of the Iraqi security forces.”

“In some instances, they fired upon them in an attempt to provoke the armed forces” the statement said. Officials in Erbil should be held responsible for any violence that has occurred, the Baghdad government said.

The US-led coalition against ISIL, which supports both Iraqi government and Peshmerga forces, said it had so far only seen "co-ordinated movements" by military vehicles around Kirkuk and "not attacks".

A limited exchange of fire before dawn was the result of a "misunderstanding and not deliberate as two elements attempted to link up under limited visibility conditions", the US statement said.

"We continue to advocate dialogue between Iraqi and Kurdish authorities. All parties must remain focused on the defeat of our common enemy, ISIL, in Iraq," said Major Gen Robert White, Commanding General of the combined joint forces.

Further south, two people were reportedly killed in artillery exchanges at Tuz Khurmatu, 75 kilometres from Kirkuk, which has been shaken every night since Friday by fighting between the Peshmerga and Hashed Al Shaabi — Shiite paramilitary forces, which are dominated by Iran-backed militias.

The advance on Kirkuk came days after a standoff between Kurdish forces and the Iraqi army and the expiry of a deadline for Kurdish Peshmerga fighters to withdraw from the areas they have controlled since 2014.

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http://aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/turkey-closes-airspace-for-flights-to-northern-iraq/939317

 

Turkey closes airspace for flights to northern Iraq

Decision taken on advice of Turkey’s National Security Council, says government spokesman

home > Turkey, middle east 16.10.2017 Sorwar Alam Ankara   

 
Turkey closes airspace for flights to northern Iraq
 
 
 
 
 

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By Sorwar Alam, Sena Guler and Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA

Turkey on Monday closed its airspace for the flights from and to northern Iraq, the Turkish deputy prime minister and government spokesman said Monday.

Speaking to reporters after a Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara, Bekir Bozdag said the decision was taken by the Cabinet on advice of the country’s National Security Council.

“From now on, no airplane will be able to fly to the airports in Northern Iraqi Regional Government, and no airplane from there will be able to use the Turkish airspace,” he said.

Last month, the KRG held an illegitimate referendum across northern Iraq that resulted in a vote for independence from Baghdad. The vote was opposed by Baghdad as well as Turkey and the U.S.

Bozdag also said that the government began working on another advice of the council, seeking control of Iraqi government on Ibrahim Khalil border crossing, also known as Habur, between Turkey and the Kurdish region in northern Iraq.

The Cabinet also advised Turkish Parliament to extend state of emergency for another three months, according to Bozdag.  

Following the Cabinet’s meeting, the government submitted to the Turkish parliament a motion, seeking extension of emergency rule.

According to the motion, the new extension will come into force from Oct. 19 at 1.00 a.m.

Turkey declared a state of emergency for the first time in July last year following a deadly coup attempt staged by Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.


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http://www.basnews.com/index.php/en/news/kurdistan/385801

 

 
 

Peshmerga Inflicts Shi’ite Militias with Heavy Damage in Southern Kirkuk

Hashd al-Shaabi had intended to advance towards Kirkuk 

 

 Basnews English

 16/10/2017 - 04:02

 
 
Peshmerga Inflicts Shi’ite Militias with Heavy Damage in Southern Kirkuk
 

ERBIL — Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces have reportedly foiled an attack by Baghdad-backed Shi’ite militias of Hashd al-Shaabi near Taza district in southern Kirkuk.

According to Kurdistan 24, the Shi’ite militias had initiated a fire exchange in the area, but soon escaped after coming under heavy fire from Peshmerga defence lines.

Several military vehicles belonging to the Hashd al-Shaabi are said to be destroyed by the Kurdish forces.

 
 
 
 
 
Edited by 1lucdog
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https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201710161058287916-baghdad-operation-kirkuk-independence-kurdistan/

 

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Members of Iraqi federal forces gather to continue to advance in military vehicles in Kirkuk, Iraq

What We Know So Far About Baghdad's Operation in Kirkuk

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20:51 16.10.2017(updated 21:07 16.10.2017)Get short URL
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Baghdad has launched a military operation in the northern province of Kirkuk, disputed by both the central government and Iraq Kurdistan, following the province's participation in the September 25 referendum on the autonomous region's independence.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Iraqi armed forces managed to capture strategic positionsin the Kirkuk region, which held the vote on the Iraqi Kurdistan's independence too, despite not being a part of the region.

Baghdad has refused to recognize the results of the referendum, which was held in the autonomy and other territories that are claimed by Erbil and de facto controlled by Kurdistan's military forces, Peshmerga, although not within the autonomy's official borders. Shortly after the referendum, the Iraqi parliament approved the government's decision to deploy troops to the oil-rich Kirkuk province.

Iraqi Kurdistan's vice president said Friday that Erbil would send 6,000 Peshmerga troops to Kirkuk to counter Baghdad's plan to retake control of the area. Local media reported earlier on Monday that 3,000 Kurdish Peshmerga had been additionally deployed to Kirkuk.

Baghdad's Gains

Iraqi federal police officers entered the Kirkuk administration building earlier on Monday, meeting no resistance, a source from the local government told Sputnik. The central government forces have also occupied several other important facilities in the city.

Most regional officials, including governor Najmiddin Karim, had left for Kurdistan.

 

The Iraqi government said that its forces had been instructed to secure bases and federal facilities in the province of Kirkuk. The government also said that Prime Minister Haider Abadi had ordered the Iraqi Security Forces to cooperate with Peshmerga and protect civilians.

 

Hemin Hawrami, senior assistant to Kurdish President Masoud Barzani, said that Peshmerga had clashed with the Iraqi forces attempting to enter the disputed region and pushed them back. Hawrami went on to add that Barzani had also instructed Peshmerga not to initiate altercations and only act when the other side begins the assault.

 

The Iraqi army command issued a statement saying that the Iraqi troops had secured control over the K-1 military base, Baba Gurgur and Bai Hassan oil fields, as well as Kirkuk's irrigation system.

 

The leadership of the Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga paramilitary forces said later in the day that the attack on Kirkuk could be considered a "declaration of war" on the Kurds.

Kurdish Lawmakers's Reaction

Nada Khal Khamza, a lawmaker in the Iraqi parliament, a member of the Kurdish coalition, told Sputnik that Baghdad was acting "undemocratically."

"All actions to boost military presence will only lead to the escalation [of the conflict], but not to the solution of the problem… It seems as if the Iraqi government does not want to hold a dialogue with Kurds," the lawmaker said.

According to a lawmaker from Erbil, Tariq Sadiq Rashid, the situation is likely to change at any moment, but "the military power will now play the most important role."

Khamza said, however, that Iraqi Kurdistan was still advocating for all parties to sit down at the negotiating table.

International Reaction

Pentagon has urged both Erbil and Baghdad to avoid further escalation of the conflict, stressing that the United States supports "a unified Iraq."

"We strongly urge all sides to avoid additional escalatory actions. We oppose violence from any party, and urge against destabilizing actions that distract from the fight against ISIS [Islamic State, Daesh, a terrorist organization outlawed in Russia] and further undermine Iraq's stability," Laura Seal, a spokeswoman for the Department of Defense, said on Monday in a statement.

According to media reports, representatives of the US-led coalition tasked with fighting Daesh, have met with representatives of Iraqi Kurdish militia to discuss the ongoing conflict.

 

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that Moscow supported a peaceful resolution of the conflict by political and diplomatic means.

 

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Ankara was ready to help Baghdad drive Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), listed as a terrorist organization in Turkey, out of Iraq. On Sunday, the security council of the Iraqi government claimed that Iraqi Kurdistan had summoned non-state armed forces, including the PKK, to the disputed Kirkuk province, and suggested that the move might be seen as the declaration of war on Iraq. Erbil promptly refuted the allegations.

Moreover, Ankara has decided to close Turkey's airspace for Iraqi Kurdistan amid the ongoing fighting in Kirkuk.

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https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/inside-the-market/market-updates/oil-rises-as-fighting-escalates-in-iraqs-oil-rich-kirkuk/article36597685/?arc404=true

 

Oil jumps as fighting in Iraq’s oil-rich Kirkuk shuts output

JULIA SIMON

 

NEW YORK — Reuters

Published Monday, Oct. 16, 2017 4:56AM EDT

Last updated Monday, Oct. 16, 2017 1:54PM EDT

 

Oil prices jumped 1 percent on Monday as Iraqi forces entered the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, taking territory from Kurdish fighters and briefly cutting some crude output from OPEC’s second-largest producer.

“We’re seeing increased geopolitical tension in the Middle East providing support in the market today, namely in Iraqi Kurdistan, and some uncertainty around Iran,” said Anthony Headrick, energy market analyst at CHS Hedging LLC in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.

Iraq’s Kurdistan briefly shut down some 350,000 barrels per day (bpd) of production from major fields Bai Hassan and Avana due to security concerns. Iraq launched the operation on Sunday as the crisis between Baghdad and the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) escalated. The KRG voted for independence in a Sept. 25 referendum.

Brent crude futures were up 62 cents or 1 per cent at $57.79 per barrel at 11:02 a.m. ET. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was up 36 cents or 0.7 per cent at $51.81 per barrel.

The government said its troops had taken control of Iraq’s North Oil Co, and the fields quickly resumed production. The KRG government said oil continued to flow through the export pipeline, and it would take no steps to stop it.

Still, the action unsettled the market. Some 600,000 bpd of oil is produced in the region, and Turkey has threatened to shut a KRG-operated pipeline that goes to the Turkish port of Ceyhan at Baghdad’s request.

Renewed worries over U.S. sanctions against Iran also drew attention. On Friday U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday refused to certify that Tehran was complying with the accord even though international inspectors say it is.

Under U.S. law, the president must certify every 90 days that Iran is complying with the deal. Congress now has 60 days to decide whether to reimpose economic sanctions on Tehran.

During the previous round of sanctions, roughly 1 million bpd of Iranian oil was cut off. Analysts said renewed sanctions were unlikely to curtail that level of exports, yet they warned it could still be disruptive.

Cuts to U.S. drilling rigs, and an explosion overnight at an oil rig in Louisiana’s Lake Pontchartrain, also boosted prices.

Oil consumption has been strong, especially in China, where the central bank governor said the economy is expected to grow 7 percent in the second half, defying widespread expectations for a slowdown.

Sources said China was offering to buy up to 5 per cent of Saudi Aramco directly, a move that could give Saudi Arabia more flexibility as it plans to float the world’s biggest oil producer on the stock market.

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http://www.alforat.info/index.php?page=article&id=51327.......

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For the first time since 2003, an Arab governor of Kirkuk

 

16-10-2017 02:36 PM

 

The Euphrates - 

 

For the first time since 2003, Abbadi orders the appointment of Rakan Said al-Abbadi, governor of Kirkuk.

 

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https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/16/world/middleeast/kirkuk-iraq-kurds.html

 

KIRKUK, Iraq — After weeks of threats and posturing, the Iraqi government began a military assault on Monday to blunt the independence drive by the nation’s Kurdish minority, wresting oil fields and a contested city from separatists pushing to break away from Iraq.

In clashes that pit two crucial American allies against each other, government troops seized the vital city of Kirkuk and surrounding oil fields, ousting the Kurdish forces who had controlled the region for three years in their effort to build an independent nation in the northern third of Iraq.

The Kurds voted overwhelmingly in a referendum three weeks ago for independence from Iraq. The United States, Baghdad and most countries in the region condemned the vote, fearing it would fuel ethnic divisions across the region, lead to the break up of Iraq and hobble the fight against the Islamic State.

Iraqi government troops and the Kurdish forces, known as pesh merga, are both essential elements of the American-led coalition battling the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. Both forces are supplied and trained by the United States.

But aside from a few isolated skirmishes, Iraqi forces took the region without a fight, and few confirmed casualties, after having brokered an agreement with the Kurdish faction that controlled Kirkuk, a multiethnic city of Kurds, Arabs and Turkmens.

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Kurdistan

LIVE: Iraqi forces take Kirkuk, lower Kurdistan flag

By Rudaw 2 hours ago
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Iraqi forces, which include the US-trained Counter Terrorism Service and the Iranian-backed mainly Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi, began an attack on Peshmerga-controlled areas south and west of Kirkuk on Sunday at midnight. Monday afternoon, Iraqi forces entered the city of Kirkuk and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered Iraqi forces take down the Kurdistan flag in the disputed areas and hoist only the Iraqi banner.

Iraqi forces have taken control of the K-1 military base, Baba Gurgur oil field, the governor's office, the airport, and key infrastructure and roads.   

Thousands of civilians have fled the city, heading towards Erbil and Sulaimani in the Kurdistan Region. 

The attack by the Iraqi forces ordered by Abadi follows weeks of punitive measures taken by Baghdad against Kurdistan in response to the September 25 independence referendum that saw 92.7 percent of people voting to leave Iraq, despite Iraqi opposition. 
 
The following is a live timeline as events are unfolding.

 

 

.......

12:25 am, October 17, 2017

 

Iraq PM receives messages of support for Iraqi unity from world leaders 

Following Monday’s events, Iraqi PM Abadi had a number of phone calls with international parties, expressing their support for Iraqi unity.

Federica Mogherini, high representative of the EU’s Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, discussed the clashes in Kirkuk with Abadi and “stressed the importance to avoid the use of force and to seek dialogue in order to preserve Iraq’s unity and long-term stability while upholding the provisions of the Iraqi Constitution.”

Mogherini is also vice president of the European Commission. Expressing concern about reports of military operations carried out by federal forces, she told Abadi that she “expects all sides to sit down together and engage in dialogue,” according to a statement from the EU. 

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and King Salman of Saudi Arabia both expressed their support for the unity of Iraq in phone calls with Abadi, according to the readouts from the office of the Iraqi PM.

Gabriel said all sides should focus on the war against ISIS, adding that they had warned Erbil about the consequences of the independence vote. 

“He had told Mr. Barzani that he will lose European support and German support if he went ahead with the issue of the referendum,” the statement from Abadi quoted the German FM as saying.

There has been no immediate statement from Gabriel’s office.

King Salman of Saudi Arabia said his country stands behind Baghdad and that it wants to have the best relations with the Iraqi government. 

“King Salman expressed the kingdom’s support for Iraq’s unity and its rejection of the results of the referendum that took place in the Kurdistan Region,” the Iraqi statement read.

PM Abadi told King Salman that the purpose of events in Kirkuk was for the central government of Iraq to impose its authority in the disputed areas, according to the Iraqi constitution, by “re-deploying” its forces.

What happened in Kirkuk was the result of a “quick and smooth operation that did not result in any casualties or injuries,” the statement claimed. 

 

 

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9:43 pm, October 16, 2017

 

Trump refuses to take sides, Iran praises Iraqi forces in Kirkuk

US President Donald Trump has spoken out against Monday’s confrontation in Kirkuk, but has declined to condemn either party. 

“We don’t like the fact that they’re clashing. We’re not taking sides, but we don’t like the fact that their clashing,” he said at a press conference. “We’ve had for many years very good relationship with the Kurds, as you know. And we’ve also been on the side of Iraq. Even though we should have never been in there in the first place – we should never have been there. But we’re not taking sides in that battle.”

Trump3.jpg
President Trump taking questions from the media on Monday. Photo: White House video 

 

Meanwhile, Iran’s Ali Akbar Velayati, member of the country’s Expediency Council, said the Iraqi forces, by taking Kirkuk from the Kurdish forces, have foiled a dangerous plot against regional security. 

“Barzani’s, and behind the scenes Israel’s, objective was seizing Kirkuk’s oil wells in favour of Israel,” Velayati stated, according to Tasnim News. 

This was a dangerous plot that Iraq has now ended, he said. 

 

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9:16 pm

 

Ankara will close airspace, hand over control of border to Baghdad

Ankara has decided to close Turkey’s airspace to flights in and out of the Kurdistan Region and will begin to work with the Baghdad government to hand over control of the Ibrahim Khalil border gate to Iraqi federal authorities, Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesperson Bekir Bozdag told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Monday, Hurriyet Daily News reported. 

The decision was made on the recommendation of Turkey’s National Security Council.

 

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8:40 p.m.

 

Peshmerga commander says Peshmerga withdrawal from Kirkuk was no ‘mistake’

 

Jaafar Sheikh Mustafa, commander of the Peshmerga’s 70 force, told Rudaw the decision to withdraw from Kirkuk was not a “mistake” as they wanted to protect the lives of Peshmerga soldiers.

Mustafa added Iranians led the fight against the Peshmerga in Kirkuk.

“I bear all the responsibilities – in success and failure,” said Mustafa, who led a large number of Peshmerga forces in south Kirkuk.

He dismissed claims that there was “an agreement” between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi army to allow them to enter the city without a fight.


“The Iraqi forces outnumbered the Peshmerga,” he said. 

 

.........

 

8:15 p.m.

 

Hashd al-Shaabi beheaded Peshmerga in Kirkuk: Rudaw reporter
 
A number of Peshmerga were beheaded by Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi militia during confrontations to capture the city of Kirkuk on Monday, according to a Rudaw reporter who witnessed the events.
 
Rudaw’s Hevidar Ahmed reporting from the scene revealed that, among the Peshmerga killed by Hashd al-Shaabi, some were beheaded.
 
Ahmed, who reported on the course of clashes between the Peshmerga and Iraqi forces, said that in the beginning the Peshmerga put up a fierce defense. But the Hashd al-Shaabi widened their advance, at which point many Peshmerga were wounded and killed.
 
He saw the bodies of as many as 10 Peshmerga piled into the back of a pick-up truck. They had all been beheaded.
 
Wounded Peshmerga were put into another vehicle.
 
He said the Peshmerga were beheaded by a group of Hashd al-Shaabi trained after the Mosul operation started last year. 
 
Inside Kirkuk, Hashd al-Shaabi have set up security checkpoints inspecting civilians. 
 
Ahmed said he saw instances of supporters of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) being permitted to pass, but others linked with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) were disarmed and insulted.
 
Ahmed also said there were looting and burning of Kurdish homes in Tuz Khurmatu by the Hashd al-Shaabi. He reported that 150 Kurdish houses were looted and 15 burned.
 
He added the bulk of Kurdish families from Khurmatu had fled to Erbil and Sulaimani.
 
As an eyewitness, Ahmed said much of the frontline was abandoned by the Peshmerga without a fight.

 

...........

 

7:39 pm

 

US Congressman warns could pull funding if Baghdad does not end attacks on Kurds

US Congressman Trent Franks condemned the attacks on Kurdish forces in Kirkuk and has urged the US to protect the Kurds against Iranian aggression. 

“The Hashd al-Shaabi has shown its true colors. They are not interested in the collective security of Iraq and the Middle East,” Franks wrote in a published statement Monday evening, describing the Shiite force as a “pawn of the corrupt regime in Tehran.”

Franks warned the US could pull its funding if Iraqi PM Abadi did not live up to promises to prevent attacks on the Kurds “and prove Baghdad is not the puppet of Tehran.”

He reiterated earlier statements, urging the US to support Kurdistan’s bid for independence.

The US, under President Donald Trump, has taken a harsher stance against Iran. This week, the US slapped additional sanctions on the Revolutionary Guards. 

Addressing Abadi, Franks said the US “cannot in good conscience send money to an Iranian patsy working to subvert American interests.”

 

 

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7:12 pm

 

British MP blames Iran for the violence in Kirkuk

Jack Lopresti, who is also chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Kurdistan, issued the following statement, pointing out the irony of Iranian-backed forces using American weapons to attack the Kurds:

“The terrible events overnight in Kirkuk are mainly made in Iran. The physical presence of IRGC commander Qassem Soleimani in the Kirkuk area proves that in spades and even the Iraqi government acknowledges that he is an adviser to the Shia militia. Iranian hardliners are seeking as ever to destabilise and control all around to preserve their malign influence and keep America and its allies diverted. It is supremely ironic that Iranian pawns are able to make use of American battle tanks to attack brave allies of America and Britain. The urgent priority is for the West to intervene to freeze conflict and encourage dialogue so that Erbil and Baghdad can resolve their differences without malevolent Iranian stirring of the pot.”

 

 

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7:03 pm

 

Crowds in Kirkuk wave Iraqi flags and cheer as the Kurdistan flag is taken down.

 

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6:11 pm

 

US Senator McCain warns of ‘severe consequences’ for ‘misuse’ of American arms against Kurds

US Senator John McCain, who is also chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has issued a statement of concern about Iraqi forces using US-supplied arms to attack a “valuable” US partner.

“The United States provided equipment and training to the Government of Iraq to fight ISIS and secure itself from external threats—not to attack elements of one of its own regional governments, which is a longstanding and valuable partner of the United States,” he wrote. 

“Make no mistake, there will be severe consequences if we continue to see American equipment misused in this way.”

He also expressed concern about reports of Iranian involvement in the ongoing conflict in Kirkuk. 

“I am deeply concerned by media reports of military advances by Iraqi government forces against Kurdish positions near Kirkuk. I am especially concerned by media reports that Iranian and Iranian-backed forces are part of the assault,” he wrote. 

He called for Iraq to take “immediate steps” to cease its advances and for the two governments to “engage in a dialogue about the Kurdish people’s desire for greater autonomy from Baghdad at an appropriate time and the need to halt hostilities immediately.”

 

-----

 

5:48 p.m.

 

Kurdish mayor of Khurmatu removed from post

After the Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi took control of Tuz Khurmatu, the governor of Salahaddin appointed a Shiite Arab as mayor and removed Shalal Abdul, a Kurd, from the post.

 

.........

 

5:45 p.m.

 

Turkey’s security council calls for closure of airspace, border crossing

Turkey’s National Security Council has called on Ankara to shut its airspace with the Kurdistan Region. 

It also called for the closure of the Turkey-Kurdistan Region border crossing of Ibrahim Khalil.

 

..........

 

5:26 pm

 

HDP warns aggression against Kurdistan Region will spark a ‘regional war’

Turkey’s pro-Kurdish party HDP has called for a cessation of hostilities in Kirkuk, warning that continued aggression will spark a greater war.

“Trying to seize the will of the people of Iraqi Kurdistan using military methods will ignite a new regional war,” HDP stated on Twitter. “The Iraqi government should stop its attempt to invade Kirkuk, and diplomatic channels should immediately be employed.”

 

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5:13 p.m.

 

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has ordered Iraqi forces to take down the Kurdistan flag in disputed areas and hoist only Iraq’s. His order came after the army announced it has taken full control of Kirkuk, according to al Jazeera. 

 

..........

 

4:18 pm

 

Oil exports continue, despite clashes

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will not stop oil exports despite confrontations between the Peshmerga and Iraqi armed forces in Kirkuk, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) announced in a tweet. 

“Contrary to some irresponsible rumours, oil is still flowing through the export pipeline. The KRG will take no steps to stop that flow,” read a tweet from the MNR.

Responding to a statement from Iraq’s oil minister urging the KRG to ensure oil exports can continue, the MNR tweeted, “Despite the politics, interruption to oil flow will not occur and certainly will not be done by us.”

 

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3:45 p.m.

US-led Coalition says it will not support Iraqis or Peshmerga forces in Kirkuk

The US-led Global Coalition states that the “engagement” between the Iraqi and Kurdish forces on Monday near Kirkuk were not “attacks” but a “misunderstanding.”

The Kurdish Peshmerga, a Coalition ally in the war against ISIS since 2014, has said Iraqi advancement was an attack and a “declaration of war” on the people of Kurdistan.

“We believe the engagement this morning was a misunderstanding and not deliberate as two elements attempted to link up under limited visibility conditions,” the Coalition said in a statement on Monday. 

“The Coalition is monitoring movements of military vehicles and personnel in the vicinity of Kirkuk. These movements of military vehicles, so far, have been coordinated movements, not attacks.”

It said that they will stay neutral as the two armies have been exchanging fire, including with heavy weapons, south and west of Kirkuk since at least Sunday at midnight.

“Coalition forces and advisors are not supporting Government of Iraq or Kurdistan Regional Government activities near Kirkuk, but are aware of reports of a limited exchange of fire during predawn hours of darkness Oct. 16.”

The Coalition strongly urges all sides to avoid escalatory actions, it said. 

"We continue to advocate dialogue between Iraqi and Kurdish authorities. All parties must remain focused on the defeat of our common enemy, ISIS, in Iraq,” said Maj. Gen. Robert White, Commanding General of the Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command – Operation Inherent Resolve.

The Coalition is committed to the defeat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, and is against any action that distracts from our mission, the statement concluded. 

The Peshmerga General Command, in a statement issued on Monday, said that Iraqi forces, including the Hashd, used American weapons they received for the war against ISIS.

It continued to say the Hashd al-Shaabi forces affiliated with the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards’ Quds force organized the attacks.

 

 

 

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3:33 p.m.
 
PUK rejects news that certain party leaders ordered Peshmerga to withdraw from Kirkuk
 
Hero Ibrahim Ahmed, a senior leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and wife of deceased party leader Jalal Talabani, said in a statement following incidents in Kirkuk that her family members who wield immense power within the PUK, have not ordered Peshmerga forces to withdraw from several key areas in south Kirkuk in the face of the advancing Iraqi army and Iranian backed-Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi.

She said her family members including Bafel Talabani, Aras Sheikh Jangi, Qubad Talabani, Polad Talabani, and Lahur Talabany are on the forefronts and have not withdrawn.

It was reported by Kurdish media outlets that three leading figures of the late Jalal Talabani family including Bafel Talabani, Lahur Talabany, and Aras Sheikh Jangi had ordered Peshmerga forces of the PUK at several key positions to withdraw and let the Shiite forces and the Iraqi army take them over. 

She said her party has been struggling since its foundation for self-determination rights for the people of Kurdistan and is a main protector and advocator of "the Jerusalem of Kurdistan."

She added that Kirkuk has now faced an “international conspiracy” and the PUK Peshmerga “have been bravely defending the city.”

She also said they had ramped up all efforts over the past few days to prevent the ignition of this fight in coordination with the US-led global coalition, Iraq, and neighboring countries in order to protect Kirkuk. 

“What we really feared, unfortunately happened last night,” she added.

 

.........

 

 

3:19 p.m.
 
Turkish FM: ‘Ready to cooperate with Iraq’, ‘terminate PKK in Kirkuk’

Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday they were ready to stand by Baghdad in order to provide peace and stability in the country amid ongoing conflict in Kirkuk as well as to end the presence of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) they claim to be in Kirkuk.

“We once again emphasize the importance we attach to the protection of Iraq’s political unity and territorial integrity,” the written statement read, as reported by Turkey’s Hurriyet Daily News. “We also underline our readiness for any kind of cooperation with the Iraqi government on the termination of the PKK presence in Iraqi territories.”

Ankara released the statement as the Iraqi army, along with the Iranian-backed mainly Shiite Hashd al Shaabi, launched an offensive against the Kurdish Peshmerga controlling the ethnically diverse oil-rich city of Kirkuk.

The Foreign Ministry also stated that it is closely following moves made by the Iraqi government for the “establishment of the constitutional order in Kirkuk,” which also has a large Turkmen population.

“We welcome the Iraqi government’s statement that no tolerance will be shown to PKK members in Kirkuk and that the mobilization of these groups will be considered an act of war,” the statement read.

The Foreign Ministry also threatened the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) against making “another mistake” by allowing PKK to remain in the region, warning that the KRG “will be held responsible if it lets the PKK find shelter.”

“Turkey will stand with the Iraqi government in its steps that aim to establish lasting peace and stability in the country,” it added.

 

 

.......

 

 

3:15 p.m.

The United States Embassy in Baghdad released a statement on Monday afternoon concerning the ongoing violence in Kirkuk, requesting that the military action cease “immediately” and that all parties should remain focused on the fight against ISIS while US officials work with the Iraqi central government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to ease tensions.
 
The statement reads as follows:
 
“We are very concerned by reports of violence in Kirkuk and deplore any loss of life. We call on all parties to immediately cease military action and restore calm while we continue to work with officials from the central and regional governments to reduce tensions and avoid further clashes. We support the peaceful exercise of joint administration by the central and regional governments, consistent with the Iraqi Constitution in all disputed areas. ISIS remains the true enemy of Iraq, and we urge all parties to remain focused on finishing the liberation of their country from menace.”

 

---

 

2:50 p.m. 

 

Peshmerga command: Iraqi military attack on Kirkuk is ‘declaration of war’
 
The Peshmerga General Command has said in a statement that the attack on Kirkuk by the Iranian Quds-backed Iraqi forces and the mainly Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi is “a flagrant declaration of war against the nation of Kurdistan,” and warned that the government of the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi should pay a “heavy price” for initiating the conflict.
 
It said that the military incursion into the Peshmerga-controlled areas in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk is in retaliation for the people of Kurdistan “who have asked for freedom,” a reference to the independence vote held last month that saw 92.7 percent of the people voting to leave Iraq.
 
The Peshmerga Command also accused some of the Kurdish commanders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), saying they were complicit when the Iraqi forces made rapid advances against the positions of Kurdish security forces, including an oil field and key infrastructure in the province. The PUK has denied the accusations. 
 
It continued to say that the Iraqi forces, including the Hashd, used American weapons they received for the war against ISIS.

 

---

 

 

2:22 p.m.

Peshmerga still hold Bai Hassan and Havana oil fields 

Halgurd Hikmat, media officer of the Peshmerga Ministry, told Rudaw that the Peshmerga forces have stayed at the Havana and Bai Hassan, two major oilfields in Kirkuk defending it from the attacking Iraqi forces.

He added Peshmerga forces have remained at their posts in west Kirkuk positions, but the eastern fronts were abandoned.

“The Peshmerga will certainly reorganize its forces,” he said of counter-attacks against the advancing Iraqi armed forces.

 

http://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/151020177

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6 minutes ago, Laid Back said:

Now the kurds are realizing what a big mistake was the referendum.

 

Go Abadi

Go oil for all Iraqis 

Go land for all Iraqis 

Go wealth for all Iraqis 

LB Thanks,  100 Percent Totally In Agreement.....Barzani screwed the pooch on his arrogance and greed to push forward with the "Referendum".  Talabani''s are jumping ship quick...😊  I'm certain other KRG Parties will follow.

 

GO UNITY OF IRAQ 

 

GO PM ABADI 

 

GO RV / RI

 

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7 minutes ago, tigergorzow said:

LB Thanks,  100 Percent Totally In Agreement.....Barzani screwed the pooch on his arrogance and greed to push forward with the "Referendum".  Talabani''s are jumping ship quick...😊  I'm certain other KRG Parties will follow.

 

GO UNITY OF IRAQ 

 

GO PM ABADI 

 

GO RV / RI

 

Agree my friend tiger.

Now the federal government and their allies are putting a lot of pressure on the Kurds.... Their economy will feel the pain really soon

Go Iraq United 

Go hcl

Go art 140

Go RV

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Butifldrm Thanks,  Excellent Article.....PM Abadi is moving forward and not allowing outside pressure from any Nations.  He gave the Barzani's an opportunity to do right for the good of all Iraqis but his stubbornness has led to today's outcome.

 

**I wonder if Kirkuk's Governor tucked tail and escaped to Erbil.....😊

 

GO UNITY OF IRAQ 

 

GO PM Abadi

 

GO RV / RI

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14 minutes ago, tigergorzow said:

LB Thanks,  100 Percent Totally In Agreement.....Barzani screwed the pooch on his arrogance and greed to push forward with the "Referendum".  Talabani''s are jumping ship quick...😊  I'm certain other KRG Parties will follow.

 

GO UNITY OF IRAQ 

 

GO PM ABADI 

 

GO RV / RI

 

This piece of Barzani Orchestrated Foolishness may just have cost him EVERYTHING. As we say in the Army- " he just stepped on his ow pee pee "

 

It's possible that his people may turn on him for leading them down this suicidal path that was obvious to ALL of US here at DV, the WB, IMF, the UN ( & the YMCA :D ). Wasn't too difficult to see what the outcome was going to be. When 10 people tell you your drunk, you'd better sit down. NOT Barzani; walking tall ( for a runt ), thumbing his nose at everyone & dragging everyone down with him. 

 

Many reasons including leverage for the HCL & 140 have been given for hard driving this lunacy. Whatever Barzani's reasons, he might be looking to " orchestrate " some sort of Damage Control for us to watch for; or does he skin out for parts unknown to save his worthless hide ? Perhaps not, but a snake like Barzani you never can tell.

 

 

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