Iraqi forces have advanced in Kirkuk with no confrontation with Kurdish Peshmerga militia.
Media reports said that Iraqi forces have advanced on Kirkuk’s oil fields and air base on Monday, hours after Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, ordered his army to impose security on the Kurdish city in the wake of a recent vote for independence.
Iraq’s Counter Terrorism Service (known as CTS), along with the Federal Police and the 9th Division of the Iraqi Army’s Armored Brigade, were taking part in the operation in Kirkuk, the Iraqi Television reported.
Earlier on Sunday, Haider Abadi gave order to the country’s army and police to secure bases federal installations in Kirkuk, but avoid confrontations with the Kurdish forces.
“Commander-in-Chief Haider Al Abadi has instructed Iraqi Army, Federal Police, CTS [Counter Terrorism Service] to secure bases & federal installations in Kirkuk province. The PM orders ISF [Iraqi Security Forces] to cooperate with Peshmerga and avoid confrontations, and to protect all civilians in the province,” the government wrote on Twitter.
The city in the autonomous region has been under control of the Kurdish Peshmerga militia forces since 2014, when they fought ISIL terrorists.
Source: Agencies
