Foreign Affairs

muriel_volestrangler

(101,316 posts) Fri Oct 13, 2017, 12:10 PM Oct 2017

Iraqi Kurds send reinforcements to Kirkuk amid army 'threats'

Thousands of Kurdish fighters have been deployed to Iraq's disputed Kirkuk region, officials say, amid fears that government forces want to retake it.

The autonomous Kurdistan Region's Vice-President, Kosrat Rasul, said it was responding to "threats" by the army.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said he would not use the army against Iraqi citizens, but convoys were seen heading towards Kirkuk late on Thursday.
...
Voters living in Kurdish-controlled areas - including Kirkuk - voted overwhelmingly in favour of secession, prompting calls from Kurdish officials for negotiations.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-41607823

2 replies

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Highlight:

Iraqi Kurds send reinforcements to Kirkuk amid army 'threats' (Original Post) muriel_volestrangler Oct 2017 OP

Baghdad launches Kirkuk operation as Kurd fighters mobilise muriel_volestrangler Oct 2017 #1

Iraq conflict: Kurdish Peshmerga 'given deadline' in Kirkuk muriel_volestrangler Oct 2017 #2

muriel_volestrangler

(101,316 posts)

1. Baghdad launches Kirkuk operation as Kurd fighters mobilise

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Original post)

Fri Oct 13, 2017, 02:53 PM

Oct 2017

The Iraqi army launched an operation to retake Kurdish-held positions around the disputed oil city of Kirkuk on Friday amid a bitter row with the Kurds over a vote for independence last month.

A senior Kurdish official said thousands of heavily armed fighters had been deployed to resist the offensive "at any cost" and called for international intervention with the federal government in Baghdad to prevent the confrontation worsening.
...
"The Iraqi armed forces are advancing to retake their military positions that were taken over during the events of June 2014," an army general told AFP by telephone, asking not to be identified.

He said federal troops had already taken one base west of Kirkuk on Friday morning after peshmerga fighters withdrew during the night without a fight.

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/baghdad-launches-kirkuk-operation-kurd-fighters-mobilise-091453936.html

This AFP report seems to say things are more serious than others do; I'm not sure which to believe.

muriel_volestrangler

(101,316 posts)

2. Iraq conflict: Kurdish Peshmerga 'given deadline' in Kirkuk

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Original post)

Sat Oct 14, 2017, 11:23 AM

Oct 2017

Kurdish Peshmerga fighters say Iraq's central government has ordered them to surrender key military positions in the disputed city of Kirkuk within hours.

They were given a deadline of 02:00 on Sunday (23:00 GMT on Saturday) to quit military facilities and oil fields.

Brief clashes also erupted between Kurdish forces and Shia militia backing the Iraqi government.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-41621754

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