Peshmerga, civilians alike defending Kirkuk from Iraqi and Shiite troops
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Peshmerga forces on the frontline and citizens within the city of Kirkuk say they are standing guard and have taken up arms to prevent Shiite and Iraqi government troops from marching in and breaking into the oil rich city. A Shiite spokesperson has said they are not a threat to the Kurds.
Iraqi forces and Hashd al-Shaabi are currently in a standoff with Peshmerga over Kirkuk. Peshmerga sent 6,000 reinforcements to the disputed area on Thursday night to counter a buildup of Iraqi forces and Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi.
Both the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Iraq’s Joint Operations Command deny that they are planning to attack the Peshmerga-controlled territories, including Kirkuk, one of the disputed or Kurdistani areas that are under Kurdish control but also claimed by Baghdad.
The Iraqi PM has called on the Kurdish leadership to administer the disputed areas in a joint manner with the Iraqi government until Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution that concerns the fate of the disputed areas is implemented.
A Peshmerga official speaking to reporters on the frontline in Talward village south of Kirkuk assured the people of Kirkuk on Saturday that they would "in no way" leave the area for Hashd al-Shaabi and the Iraqi army to take over.
"We have never and will in no way leave our positions," said Omer Salih, a high-ranking Peshmerga official, adding they are "emboldened" by the support from the people of Kirkuk.
He said they will not initiate a confrontation because they “do not want to fight any force."
He said they had been protecting Kirkuk from ISIS for three years when the Iraqi army abandoned their weapons and fled when ISIS marched towards the city.
"The Peshmerga is on duty today to defend the lands of Kurdistan in general and Kirkuk in particular," Salih added.
He urged "the language of dialogue" to resolve escalating tensions between Erbil and Baghdad.
A Hashd al-Shaabi spokesperson, Karim al-Nouri, told Rudaw, “We believe the Kurds are part of the Iraqi nation. How can we become a threat to them? No one in Khurmatu, Kirkuk, or anywhere else thinks of hurting them. There is neither Ali Hassan Majid nor Saddam Hussein within us.”
Ali Hassan Majid is commonly known as Chemical Ali. He ordered chemical weapon attacks against Kurds during the Anfal genocidal campaign under former dictator Saddam Hussein.
Peshmerga official Omer Salih rejected "rumors" circulating on social media that they had handed territories over to the Hashd al-Shaabi to control.
"We reject claims that that the Peshmerga abandoned its positions in Tal Ward," he said. "They are far from the truth."
Peshmerga forces have withdrawn from a few posts and fortified their positions in a line of defense they believe can be protected with minimum casualties if conflict does break out in the oil-rich province.
Asked about Hashd al-Shaabi telling them to leave their positions, he replied "How come? We are here to protect Kirkuk."
The Peshmerga commander explained that as of Saturday morning, no force has initiated conflict with them.
Another Peshmerga official described the area which Peshmerga left as "dead" and not suitable for "defense."
The people in Kirkuk are seething at the buildup of Iraqi armed forces around Kirkuk, saying they will not allow them to break into the city.
"There is nothing called surrender among the people of Kirkuk," said one Kurdish man, describing the security situation in Kirkuk as "very normal."
Rudaw learnt on Friday the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Shiite forces had handed out a six point message to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) through Fuad Masum, senior party member and president of Iraq, regarding Kirkuk.
The demands include: handing over the Kirkuk airport, handing over the K-1 military base, handing over all oil fields, handing over all ISIS prisoners held by the Peshmerga, allowing the return of the Iraqi army to all places where they were stationed before ISIS, and remove Kirkuk Governor Najmaldin Karim from his position. The PUK was also reportedly given a deadline of 2 am Sunday morning to fulfill the six demands.
Masum’s media office shortly afterwards denied that the president had a “message, demands or conditions of the Iraqi government or any other official or semi-official relevant party to deliver to the PUK leadership and the KRG [Kurdistan Regional Government].”
An internally displaced Arab in Kirkuk thanked the Kurdistan Region and the city's authorities for dealing with them well.
"I have been living here as an IDP (Internally Displaced Person) for a year and a half. We are thanking Kurdistan. Nobody has questioned who we are and who we are meeting without problems," he said.
"The troublemakers will lose," he said of the party taking initiative to ignite war in Kirkuk. "The problems have to be solved through dialogue if they really believe in it. It is better for them to understand each other than resorting to military options."
Another Kurdish citizen said that throughout his life he has only seen Kurds subjected to persecution. He urged "defending the Peshmerga. We have always faced problems and been subjected to persecution because of our identity."
Another Kurdish man believes that delaying the Hawija liberation operation to this time was "politically motivated" in order to cause "chaos in Kirkuk."
He said they do not accept the Iraqi army to enter their city once again as they left the city in limbo when ISIS marched to take the city in 2014.
"Peshmerga have been defending me, Turkmen, Arabs, Shiites, Sunnis and Christians since 2014."
"This is Iran's order," said another person. "We will take up arms against any force, no matter who."
Another Arab person echoed the sentiment that if Hashd al-Shaabi enters Kirkuk, the security of the city will deteriorate and thus, people must reject them.
"The entrance of the Hashd al-Shaabi will be dangerous to Kirkuk,” he added.