ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The KDP’s bloc in the Kurdistan Region’s parliament has asked for the legislative body to form an investigative committee to look into the events of October 16, despite it being in recess.
“Due to the enormous catastrophe that on October 16 and onwards befell Kurdistan — due to which large swaths of Kurdistan’s territories were lost, and the people of the area faced huge crimes and were displaced from their home — we ask you that you decide to form a special investigative committee for the events of October 16 and onwards,” read a letter by the faction.
The parliament is in recess; however, the KDP claims legal articles grant parliament the authority to form an investigative committee even during breaks.
“This request of ours is at a time when we tried before based on the parliament’s decision to form the committee, but this was not done,” says KDP, adding that the people and parties now want to know this more than anyone.
The head of PUK’s counterterrorism units, Lahur Talabani, sent a letter in March to KRG PM Nechirvan Barzani requesting for the Kirkuk events to be investigated.
Iraqi forces supported by Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitaries took control of Kirkuk and other disputed areas in October 2016. In the aftermath, the PUK blamed some within its own party of treason, claiming there was a deal to withdraw from oil-rich Kirkuk. KDP made similar accusations.
KDP Peshmerga also withdrew from some of the disputed areas in Makhmour and Shingal.
Cousins Lahur Talabany and Bafel Talabani, who is a son of late PUK founder Jalal Talabani, were accused of being the culprits behind a deal to withdraw from the city. Both have denied involvement with Bafel Talabani calling on the KRG to open an investigation in late-October 2017.
Former US National Security Advisor, H.R. McMaster, has said that the commander of Iran’s Quds Force Qasem Soleimani exploited a “power struggle” among the PUK ranks, portraying itself as the “protector” of the party.
Masoud Barzani, the head of the KDP, was the president of the Kurdistan Region and commander-in-chief of the Peshmerga until resigning on November 1.
The Ministry of Peshmerga has a number of brigades and special units. Some like the 80 Force units and the 70 Force are aligned with the PUK and KDP, respectively.
The Peshmerga ministry and 70th units announced in January they would prepare projects on a unification process that would later on be submitted to Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, who was granted command of the Peshmerga by parliament following Masoud Barzani’s resignation.
Iraq will hold parliamentary elections on May 12. The KDP has said it will not field candidates in an “occupied” city like Kirkuk. The PUK, with its acting head Kosrat Rasul, has candidates running in Kirkuk, but faces stiff competition from the Nishtiman (Homeland) List and other Arab and Turkmen parties in the diverse province.
Ousted Kirkuk Governor Najmaldin Karim, a longtime PUK member, said from Washington, D.C., that politicians shouldn’t play with people's emotions during elections regarding Peshmerga in Kirkuk.
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