ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdish and Shiite officials said they agreed to broker a truce following a meeting to de-escalate tensions in Khurmatu between the Peshmerga and the Shiite militia force known as Hashd al-Shaabi. "We agreed to broker a ceasefire and, at the nearest juncture, we will hold a wide-ranging meeting to resolve the root of the issue," said Hadi al-Amiri, a high commander within the Hashd al-Shaabi, in a joint press conference with the Kirkuk Governor, Najmadin Karim in Khurmatu. Amiri added: "Those killed today will be considered martyrs and compensated by the [Iraqi government]. I will talk to the prime minister to pay tribute to them." He denied that tensions will further escalate in the area. "We will never accept clashes between elements living in the area. All these troubles have to be resolved through dialogue and we will not allow any party to seize the opportunity of violence in the area." At around 23:40 on Saturday night, small-scale fighting between a few Kurdish youths and Shiite militia of the Hashd al-Shaabi began. Later the fighting developed and expanded. Alley-to-alley clashes erupted in a third of the town. The death toll in the Peshmerga forces has risen to five killed since fighting began in Khurmatu. Eight Shiite fighters were also killed, a Rudaw reporter said on Sunday. A Peshmerga source had said that one civilian was among the dead. For his part, the Kirkuk Governor Karim said, "I affirm [the comments of Amiri] there is no issue between the elements [in Khurmatu] but there are people taking advantage of the rivalries." Karim explained, "Today we held a good meeting, we sat with Peshmerga commanders... We all agreed that this war is in nobody's interest and an agreement must be ratified as soon as possible." "Khurmatu is like Kirkuk. We want Kirkuk's promotion of co-existence to be reflected in Khurmatu too. Those claiming to send reinforcements into Khurmatu are the ones impeding political processes, " Karim added. About Amiri's visit to Khurmatu, the Kirkuk governor believed "Amiri's visit alongside his delegation proves that there is an understanding that fights have to stop at this point. If anyone from any party takes the initiative to fight, they must be found and dismissed in Khurmatu." At the end of his speech, the governor added, "A jointly Kurdish, Shiite and Turkmen police force should be formed to protect the town and restore security to the area." Peshmerga military officials had earlier said that they were ready to hold talks with the Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi militia group on condition that the group withdraws its forces. "All Hashd al-Shaabi militia must withdraw from Khurmatu and the Peshmerga will evacuate its forces brought into Khurmatu today, in return," stated a Peshmerga announcement, which Rudaw has obtained. Earlier on Sunday, a Peshmerga force entered Khurmatu, targeting the Shiite fighters with heavy weapons and closing all main roads into the town to stop the militia from bringing in reinforcements. Khurmatu is located on the main highway that connects the Kurdistan Region to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
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