This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/16/world/middleeast/kirkuk-iraq-kurds.html

The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 7 Version 8
Iraqi Forces Sweep Into Kirkuk, Checking Kurdish Independence Drive Iraqi Forces Sweep Into Kirkuk, Checking Kurdish Independence Drive
(about 3 hours later)
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. KIRKUK, Iraq — After weeks of threats and posturing, the Iraqi government began a military assault on Monday to curb 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.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. The Kurds voted overwhelmingly in a referendum three weeks ago for independence from Iraq. The United States, Baghdad and most countries in the region had condemned the vote, fearing it would fuel ethnic divisions, 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.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. But aside from a few isolated skirmishes, Iraqi forces took the region without a fight, and few confirmed casualties, after having forged an agreement with the Kurdish faction that controlled most of the strategic points of Kirkuk, a multiethnic city of Kurds, Arabs and Turkmens.
As cheering crowds looked on, Iraqi forces removed a Kurdish flag that had flown over the Kirkuk governor’s compound and left intact an Iraqi flag mounted beside it, local officials said. They said Iraqi troops were driving through the city, removing pesh merga flags and banners and replacing them with Iraqi flags.As cheering crowds looked on, Iraqi forces removed a Kurdish flag that had flown over the Kirkuk governor’s compound and left intact an Iraqi flag mounted beside it, local officials said. They said Iraqi troops were driving through the city, removing pesh merga flags and banners and replacing them with Iraqi flags.
Local officials said Arab and Turkmen residents of Kirkuk, a city of about one million, fired weapons into the air in celebration as national forces drove through the city. Iraqi troops took over the provincial governor’s compound, the military command in Baghdad said. Local officials said Arab and Turkmen residents of Kirkuk, a city of about one million, fired weapons into the air in celebration as national forces drove through the city.
Military commanders in Baghdad said their troops had taken control of an industrial district on the western edge of Kirkuk, as well as a power plant and refinery adjacent to the oil fields outside the city. The military command also said that government forces had secured control of a military airport west of the city. While Iraq’s future remains far from secure, the momentum has clearly swung in Baghdad’s favor. Its forces have now beaten back existential challenges on two fronts, pushing the Islamic State out of major cities and retaking a critical oil region from the Kurds.
The operation came as divisions within the Kurdish command broke into the open on Monday, with officials from a Kurdish opposition party, the Patriotic Union or Kurdistan, saying that its fighters had agreed to make way for the advancing Iraqi forces even as other fighters loyal to the governing Kurdistan Democratic Party continued to resist. Neither battle is over. But the Islamic State, which three years ago controlled a third of the country, has been reduced to a handful of desert outposts and a small city on the Syrian border, while the Kurds may now have to put their independence dreams on hold.
The government forces moved in after pesh merga fighters for the opposition withdrew from Kirkuk under an agreement with the Iraqi military. The referendum, which had Kurds celebrating in the streets three weeks ago, has now clearly backfired. The Kurdish region depends heavily on oil revenue, roughly half of it from Kirkuk region, and its independence vote has alienated the United States and angered its neighbors.
The regional Kurdish leader, Massoud Barzani, spearheaded the referendum and included areas of constitutionally fraught legal status, among them Kirkuk Province and its oil fields. “They may have made a miscalculation of historic proportions by proceeding with the referendum over the objections of just about everyone who counts,” says Joost Hiltermann, an analyst with the International Crisis Group.
Kurdish security forces loyal to Mr. Barzani’s main political rival control many strategic points in Kirkuk, and in recent days emissaries from Baghdad had worked to negotiate their withdrawal. The operation exposed deep divisions within the Kurdish command, as fighters loyal to a Kurdish opposition party, the Patriotic Union or Kurdistan, agreed to make way for the advancing Iraqi forces even as other fighters loyal to the governing Kurdistan Democratic Party continued to resist.
The Kurdish leader, Massoud Barzani, spearheaded the referendum, which most Kurds saw as a historic step to achieving the national dream of an independent homeland. But critics accused Mr. Barzani of staging the vote to distract attention from the Kurdish region’s troubled economy and what they consider to be Mr. Barzani’s authoritarian rule.
Moreover, and especially irking to Baghdad, the vote included disputed territory outside of the autonomous Kurdish region, including Kirkuk and the surrounding oil fields. Kurdish forces seized that territory in 2014 after Iraqi troops fled an Islamic State assault.
After the vote, Iraqi authorities gave the Kurds an ultimatum, to annul the vote or face military action. But over the last few days, even as Iraq massed troops in the Kirkuk region, Baghdad insisted it had no plans to carry out a military assault on Kirkuk.
As recently as Friday, the Iraqi prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, said the military “cannot and will not attack our citizens, whether Arab or Kurd,” and dismissed reports to the contrary as “fake news.”
In the last few days, emissaries from Baghdad conducted secret talks with Kurdish opposition forces to negotiate their withdrawal. And for the most part on Monday, Iraqi forces moved in as Kurdish opposition fighters withdrew.
Wista Raool, commander of opposition pesh merga forces south of Kirkuk, said the opposition Patriotic Union party sought to return the oil fields to the federal government. He accused Mr. Barzani and his party of “stealing” the oil from the Iraqi government.
Still, fighting broke out early in the day between advancing government forces and pesh merga fighters from Mr. Barzani’s faction.
A Kurdish commander, Gen. Mohammed Raiger, said his forces had mounted a counterattack about 15 miles west of the city. He said reinforcements with “sophisticated weapons” had arrived to support Kurdish fighters in the area.
A statement by the Kurdish government’s security council said pesh merga fighters had destroyed five American-supplied Humvees used by Iraqi forces, and would continue to resist them.
In a statement Monday afternoon, the American-led coalition downplayed any skirmishes as accidental. The clashes were precipitated by “a misunderstanding,” the statement said, and were “not deliberate as two elements tried to link up under limited visibility conditions” at night.
Col. Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for the coalition in Baghdad, said all American forces in the area were watching the situation, but were not involved in the fighting.
“We are monitoring the situation closely and strongly urge all sides to avoid additional escalatory actions,” he said. “We opposed violence from any party, and urge against destabilizing actions that distract from the fight against ISIS and further undermine Iraq’s stability.”
The United States was furious with Mr. Barzani, who turned down an American offer to preside over open-ended negotiations with Baghdad if the Kurds called off the vote. Analysts said the United States sat back quietly as Mr. Barzani’s position eroded in the face of retaliation by Baghdad, first ending international flights to the Kurdish region and then cutting a deal with his rivals to take Kirkuk without firing a shot.
By Monday night, there were no confirmed casualty figures, and no public statement on the day’s events from the Barzani government.
Officials in Baghdad said the provincial governor, Najmaldin O. Karim, had left Kirkuk for Erbil, the capital of the autonomous region. Mr. Karim could not be reached for comment. He was dismissed by Baghdad earlier this year, but remained in office because Kurdish fighters controlled the city.Officials in Baghdad said the provincial governor, Najmaldin O. Karim, had left Kirkuk for Erbil, the capital of the autonomous region. Mr. Karim could not be reached for comment. He was dismissed by Baghdad earlier this year, but remained in office because Kurdish fighters controlled the city.
Iraqi troops also removed a Kurdish flag from a large statue of a pesh merga fighter that Kurdish leaders had erected at the gates to the city. They raised an Iraqi flag in its place, according to local officials, in line with a statement earlier in the day from Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq, ordering troops to raise the Iraqi flag in all disputed areas reclaimed by government forces. Military commanders in Baghdad said their troops had taken control of an industrial district on the western edge of Kirkuk, a power plant and refinery adjacent to the oil fields outside the city and a military airport west of the city.
The American-led coalition has provided training, weapons, airstrikes and artillery to the Iraqi military as well as pesh merga fighters. It has not provided assistance to or coordinated with Shiite militias who also have been fighting ISIS, Col. Ryan Dillon, spokesman for the coalition in Baghdad said last week. Iraqi troops also removed a Kurdish flag from a large statue of a pesh merga fighter that Kurdish leaders had erected at the gates to the city. They raised an Iraqi flag in its place, according to local officials, in line with an order from Mr. Abadi for troops to raise the Iraqi flag in all disputed areas reclaimed by government forces.
The American-led coalition has provided training, weapons, supporting airstrikes and artillery to the Iraqi military as well as pesh merga fighters. It has not provided assistance to or coordinated with Shiite militias who also have been fighting ISIS, Colonel Dillon, the coalition spokesman in Baghdad, said last week.
In Erbil, the pesh merga general command said in a statement that Shiite militias had taken part in operations in Kirkuk Province, calling it “a flagrant declaration of war against the nation of Kurdistan.” The military command in Baghdad said there was an understanding that the Shiite militias would not enter Kirkuk.In Erbil, the pesh merga general command said in a statement that Shiite militias had taken part in operations in Kirkuk Province, calling it “a flagrant declaration of war against the nation of Kurdistan.” The military command in Baghdad said there was an understanding that the Shiite militias would not enter Kirkuk.
The government forces that entered the city on Monday afternoon included the counterterrorism service, which has worked closely with coalition forces. The national paramilitary police and the Interior Ministry’s rapid response forces also took up positions inside Kirkuk, the military command said. The big question now is whether forces loyal to Mr. Barzani will fight on or back off.
In a statement Monday afternoon, the American-led coalition said the movements of government military vehicles were “coordinated movements, not attacks.” On Monday, his forces remained dug into positions near oil fields northwest of the city that the Kurds have controlled since 2014.
The statement said clashes early Monday were precipitated by “a misunderstanding” and were “not deliberate as two elements tried to link up under limited visibility conditions” at night. The commander of forces there, Kamal Karkokly, said in an interview at his command post on Sunday that his fighters would not surrender their positions.
The coalition is not supporting either side in the Kirkuk conflict, the coalition statement added. Colonel Dillon said all American troops in the area were safe.
Iraqi military commanders said fighting broke out early Monday between advancing government forces and pesh merga fighters from Mr. Barzani’s faction, just as the P.U.K. forces were handing over their positions. The commanders spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to journalists.
Wista Raool, commander of P.U.K. pesh merga forces south of Kirkuk, said the party sought to return the oil fields to the federal government.
Mr. Raool accused Mr. Barzani and his party of “stealing” the oil from the Iraqi government. Many members of the P.U.K., which maintains its own pesh merga force, opposed the referendum vote because it had been led by Mr. Barzani.
Northwest of the city, near oil fields that Kurds have controlled since 2014, pesh merga fighters from the K.D.P. remained dug into positions Monday near the city of Dibis.
The commander of forces there, Kamal Karkokly, said in an interview at his command post Sunday that his fighters would not surrender their positions.
“We have enough weapons,” Mr. Karkokly said. “We can fight as long as we have to.”“We have enough weapons,” Mr. Karkokly said. “We can fight as long as we have to.”
If Mr. Barzani’s forces continue to resist, Mr. Hiltermann said, “It wouldn’t be their first miscalculation in the last 30 days.”