Kurdish police to secure Khurmatu as tensions grow between Kurds and Shiite Militias

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Kurdistan Region’s police forces were deployed in the ethnically and religiously-mixed city of Khurmatu on Saturday to bring back security after reports of more violence there, the mayor of Khurmatu told Rudaw.

Mayor Shalal Abdul said a number of people involving in recent violence “will be soon detained by security forces.”

Additionally gunmen who, according to Abdul, were of Kurdish origin reportedly fired their weapons on Friday night. No comment was given on any possible human casualties.

The mayor said the security forces have found the name of the gunmen and say they will detain them. 

The Kurdish police force was deployed in Komari neighborhood and will cooperate with the Shiite-majority forces of the Hashd al-Shaabi militia to bring about peace and security there.

Khurmatu is located on the main highway that connects the Kurdistan Region to the Iraqi capital Baghdad and is approximately 80km south of Kirkuk.

There have been tensions in that city in recent months between Kurdish Peshmerga forces and the Hashd al-Shabi. Several people were also killed in clashes and others detained by both forces.