ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Amid recent tensions between Kurdish forces and Shiite militia in Tuz Khurmatu, locals reported Saturday that the militiamen had torched peoples homes and shops in several parts of the town.
“Over the past two days, several Kurdish people's homes and shops have been burned down by the Hashd al-Shaabi in Tuz Khurmatu neighborhoods, including Askari, Ten, and downtown Khurmatu,” an eyewitness who didn’t want to be named, told Rudaw.
Kurdish Peshmerga and security forces in Khurmatu, 80 KM south of Kirkuk, clashed with the Shiite militia known as Hashd al-Shaabi last week where several people were killed on both sides and many injured.
Rudaw has learned that Peshmerga and Shiite militia representatives in the area, including the mayor of Khurmatu, are holding talks to prevent further escalation of violence.
Fighting broke out on Friday when a militia convoy allegedly refused to stop at a checkpoint manned by Kurdish forces, resulting in a firefight that left three Peshmerga and two militiamen dead.
A Rudaw correspondent in the area said that the Peshmerga stopped reinforcements of the Dijla Operation command of Abdul Amir Zaidi from entering the town.
“The situation of Tuz Khurmatu is calm now, and a siege on Tuz Khurmatu security [Asayish] building by the Hashd al-Shaabi has been lifted,” said Rudaw's Hiwa Husamadin.
On Friday Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on Kurdish President Masoud Barzani, Iraqi president Fuad Masum and militia leader Hadi al-Amiri to work towards ending the conflict between the Peshmerga and Hashd al-Shaabi.
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