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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Kirkuk: Iraqi forces advance on Kurdish-held sites | Kirkuk: Iraqi forces advance on Kurdish-held sites |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Iraqi forces are advancing towards Kurdish-held sites in Kirkuk province. | Iraqi forces are advancing towards Kurdish-held sites in Kirkuk province. |
| They intend to take control of oil fields and an airbase in the disputed region, Kurdish security officials say. | They intend to take control of oil fields and an airbase in the disputed region, Kurdish security officials say. |
| Tensions between the two sides over the future of Iraqi Kurdistan have been high since Iraqi Kurds voted for independence in a September referendum. | |
| The US urged dialogue "as the best option to defuse tensions" and continued to support a united Iraq, a Pentagon spokeswoman said. | |
| Crisis talks on Sunday failed to resolve the standoff as Kurdish leaders refused Iraqi government demands to reject the referendum result. | Crisis talks on Sunday failed to resolve the standoff as Kurdish leaders refused Iraqi government demands to reject the referendum result. |
| The Iraqi troops were advancing alongside government-backed Shia militias south of Kirkuk city, Kurdish officials reported. | The Iraqi troops were advancing alongside government-backed Shia militias south of Kirkuk city, Kurdish officials reported. |
| The Iraqi government said its aim was to "secure bases" and "federal installations" but "co-operate" with Kurdish Peshmerga fighters. | The Iraqi government said its aim was to "secure bases" and "federal installations" but "co-operate" with Kurdish Peshmerga fighters. |
| State media report that Iraqi forces have already taken control of some areas. | State media report that Iraqi forces have already taken control of some areas. |
| Kurdish Peshmerga forces took control of much of Kirkuk in 2014, when militants from so-called Islamic State (IS) swept across northern Iraq and the army collapsed. | |
| Hemin Hawrami, an aide to Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani, tweeted that Kurdish Peshmerga fighters were "in full control" of the airbase. | Hemin Hawrami, an aide to Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani, tweeted that Kurdish Peshmerga fighters were "in full control" of the airbase. |
| He earlier said Kurdish leaders rejected the "military option" but were "ready to defend" the city against outside forces. | He earlier said Kurdish leaders rejected the "military option" but were "ready to defend" the city against outside forces. |
| Pentagon spokeswoman Laura Seal said the US urged against "destabilising actions that distract from the fight against [IS] and further undermine Iraq's stability". | |
| "We oppose violence from any party," she said. | |
| Baghdad has accused the Kurdistan administration of deploying outside fighters to Kirkuk, including from the Turkey-based Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which it said was akin to a declaration of war. | Baghdad has accused the Kurdistan administration of deploying outside fighters to Kirkuk, including from the Turkey-based Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which it said was akin to a declaration of war. |
| The Iraqi Kurds deny this. | The Iraqi Kurds deny this. |
| On Saturday, there was a brief outbreak of fighting near Kirkuk, with each side blaming the other. | On Saturday, there was a brief outbreak of fighting near Kirkuk, with each side blaming the other. |
| Oil-rich Kirkuk province is claimed by both the Kurds and Baghdad, though the two sides were recently united in the fight against IS. | Oil-rich Kirkuk province is claimed by both the Kurds and Baghdad, though the two sides were recently united in the fight against IS. |