KALAR, Kurdistan Region – The situation in the multi-ethnic town of Tuz Khurmatu is “out of control,” and it is not safe for Kurdish residents to return at this time, Iraq’s minister for displaced persons told Rudaw on Saturday.
Iraqi forces took control of Tuz Khurmatu, south of Kirkuk, from the Peshmerga on October 16.
Darbaz Mohammed visited the Kurdish city of Kalar, some 90 km southeast of Tuz Khurmatu where 25,000 people have sought refuge. He said continued violence means it is not possible for people to go back to their homes “safely.”
He was in contact with Iraqi military personnel on the ground, and they have confirmed that the situation in Tuz Khurmatu is yet to return to normal after the arrival of federal security forces.
“There is an out of control situation,” Mohammed said. “The Turkmen forces are out of control to the extent that there is some level of vengeance and the threat of civil war. It does not mean a war between Kurds and Turkmen, but rather some people, who believe they suffered damages in the past, are now taking revenge.”
He added that the violations and incidents that are taking place in the town are not “acceptable, and need to be resolved immediately.”
The minister said they need an independent body to document reported violations.
He dismissed as “baseless” reports of sexual abuses occurring in the town.
The UN said on Thursday it had received reports of the burning of roughly 150 houses in Tuz Khurmatu by armed groups on Monday and Tuesday and some houses of Kurdish families and political officials were blown up.
Human Rights Watch reported five civilians were killed and another 51 wounded in Khurmatu as a result of indiscriminate firing between Peshmerga and Iraqi forces.
The rights monitor also found that Iraqi security forces in Tuz Khurmatu allowed civilians to loot properties for at least a full day before taking action.
Almost all of 25,000 displaced people in Kalar are from Khurmatu and Mohammed said he is working with the local governments to house them temporarily while working to ensure they can go home as quickly as possible.
“Our policy in fact is working on improving the situation,” in Khurmatu, he said though the presence of Hashd al-Shaabi fighters is hindering the stabilization process. Mohammed advised the Shiite forces to leave.
The situation in Khanaqin is calm now, the minister said. Khanaqin, close to Kalar, also saw violence between locals and the Iraqi forces.
Video: Anfal survivor: My house set on fire following Iraq’s takeover of Khurmatu
In Kirkuk, the Iraqi minister said the situation is normal and the people are able to return. He said Kurdish and Iraqi security forces are both present in the city, with all state institutions intact despite Monday’s military operations.
He said only about 15 percent of the population have fled their homes in Kirkuk.
He added that Kirkuk province now needs to appoint a Kurdish governor so that the past balance between the various components returns. Kirkuk’s acting governor is an Arab, appointed by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in place of the disposed one, Najmaldin Karim, a Kurd.
Kirkuk and Khurmatu, like the rest of the disputed or Kurdistani areas claimed by both Erbil and Baghdad, joined the Kurdistan Region’s independence referendum that saw an overwhelming 92.7 percent of people choosing to leave Iraq. Baghdad’s opposition to the vote was one of the reasons for the military operations in the disputed areas.
Kurdish officials said on Saturday that as many as 168,000 people have fled the violence.
“The situation remains volatile, and many people are returning to their homes only to flee for a second or third time when hostilities erupt again,” said Lise Grande, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, on Saturday.
“The situation remains volatile, and many people are returning to their homes only to flee for a second or third time when hostilities erupt again,” said Lise Grande, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, on Saturday.
Minister Mohammed said that aside from some isolated incidents here and there, the Iraqi and Kurdish governments have not declared war.
Iraq says it wants to “redeploy” its federal forces throughout all of Iraq, including in the Kurdistan Region. Erbil has called the move an invasion.
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