The Iraqi military on Friday said the Kurdish Peshmerga forces used German rocket in fighting against Iraqi federal forces at a disputed area in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk. Meanwhile, German capital of Berlin witnessed dozens of demonstration to express solidarity with Kurds calling the Iraqi government for suspending its military campaign against them.
A statement by the media office of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) said that Iraq appreciates the arming programs of the world countries to support the Iraqi forces, including the Peshmerga forces, on the fighting against Islamic State (IS) group, but "unfortunately today the German missiles supplied to the Peshmerga to fight IS exclusively were used against the federal forces in the Alton Kupri area, causing damages and victims."
Earlier in the day, the Iraqi forces redeployed in the town of Altun Kupri, some 40 km north of Kirkuk, and took full control of the town. However, the Kurdish media network of Rudaw said heavy clashes erupted in the morning between the Kurdish Peshmerga and the Iraqi forces in Altun Kupri, and the Kurdish forces managed to repel the advance of the security forces after burning two military vehicles for the Hashd Shaabi.
The strategic town of Altun Kupri is located between Kirkuk and the Kurdish regional capital of Erbil. The advance toward Atlun Kupri came a few days after the Iraqi forces retook control of the oil installations, oil fields and pipelines in the oil-rich Kirkuk province and other disputed areas outside the Kurdish region.
On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, also the commander-in-chief of Iraqi forces, ordered government forces to enter the oil-rich Kirkuk province in northern Iraq to regain control of the ethnically-mixed disputed areas.
Tensions are escalating between Baghdad and the region of Kurdistan after the Kurds held a controversial referendum on the independence of the Kurdistan region and the disputed areas. The independence of Kurdistan is opposed not only by the Iraqi central government, but also by other countries as it would threaten the integrity of Iraq and undermine the fight against IS militants.
Iraq's neighboring countries, especially Turkey, Iran and Syria, fear that the Iraqi Kurds' pursuit of independence threatens their territorial integrity, as large Kurdish populations live in those countries.
In the same context, At least 150 paramilitary personnel were killed and injured during clashes that occurred between Kurdish troops against Iraqi troops in Kirkuk. A statement by the command of Kurdish Peshmerga troops in western Kirkuk axis said, “al-Hashd al-Shaabi [Popular Mobilization Forces] attacked our troops using U.S.-made weapons”
“The confrontations left two U.S. tanks and an armored vehicle destroyed,” the statement said adding “more than 150 armed PMFs personnel were killed and injured.” Earlier on Friday, Iraqi government forces approached the southern borders of Erbil, capital of semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region, shortly after engaging in clashes with the region’s forces in Qushtapa, a region extending along the southern borders of Erbil, and Altun Kupri in northern Kirkuk.
Iraqi troops, backed by PMFs, took over Kirkuk province from Kurdish Peshmerga fighters rarlier this week, fulfilling instructions previously made by Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi to retake areas where sovereignty is disputed with Kurdistan Region’s Government.
The Iraqi military command said it became in control over all of the province’s oil fields, military bases and government facilities. The military takeover came after Kurdistan voted in September to secede from Iraq. A medical official in Sulaymaniyah was quoted last week saying that Peshmerga deaths since the Iraqi incursion in Kirkuk stood at 84, with more than 160 wounded.