Iraq: Government forces advance towards Kirkuk
- 7 years ago
Iraqi government forces continued advancing towards oil fields and a Kurdish Peshmerga military base in the Qatash area south of Kirkuk, Monday morning.
State TV reported Iraqi forces have already taken control of some areas, including oil fields, but this has been denied by Kurdish forces.
Tensions between the two sides have been brewing since Iraqi Kurds overwhelmingly voted for secession in a September 25 referendum that Baghdad rejected as illegal.
Kurdish Peshmerga forces took control of oil-rich Kirkuk after the Iraqi army withdrew during a major offensive by the Islamic State in 2014.
State TV reported Iraqi forces have already taken control of some areas, including oil fields, but this has been denied by Kurdish forces.
Tensions between the two sides have been brewing since Iraqi Kurds overwhelmingly voted for secession in a September 25 referendum that Baghdad rejected as illegal.
Kurdish Peshmerga forces took control of oil-rich Kirkuk after the Iraqi army withdrew during a major offensive by the Islamic State in 2014.