ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi government is planning to return its army to Kirkuk. Iraqi forces fled the city in the wake of an Islamic State offensive in July 2014. Kurdish Peshmerga forces, who entered Kirkuk and replaced the Iraqi army shortly after their forces fled, say they will not allow the Iraqi army to return. "Kirkuk is protected by the Peshmerga forces and now we do not need any other force to protect it," Brig. Gen. Mariwan Mohammed, a Peshmerga commander in Kirkuk, told Rudaw. Mohammed explained that "when the people of Kirkuk needed them [during the ISIS offensive] they [the Iraqi army] fled the city. Therefore, we do not allow any force to enter Kirkuk.” Kirkuk governor Najmadin Karim, in a meeting with the city's provincial officials, refused permission for the Iraqi army to return to Kirkuk. His decision is halting Baghdad’s move. Turkmen living in the city also object to the return of the Iraqi army; instead they suggest the formation of a local force reflecting the diversity of Kirkuk’s population. "Unfortunately, 90 percent of the Iraqi army consists of one party and they do not represent other elements. Therefore the best solution would be forming a force from the people of Kirkuk including Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, and Christians, to protect the city," Qasim Qazanji, head of the Iraqi Turkmen Front in Kirkuk, told Rudaw. According to information obtained by Rudaw, the Iraqi army has ramped up efforts to bring their forces back to Kirkuk and base them at the Kirkuk military airport, which is now in the hands of the Peshmerga who say they are not ready to evacuate the site. On June 10, 2014, when the Islamic State advanced near Kirkuk, the Iraqi army was unable to defend their positions and halt ISIS, losing the trust of the people of Kirkuk. The Peshmerga replaced them and have been successful keeping ISIS at bay.
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