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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — One Peshmerga was killed in clashes with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) on Sunday night in Duhok province’s Amedi district, according to a security source.
“PKK vehicles tried to breach a Peshmerga checkpoint, and shot at Peshmerga forces,” Badal Bandi, a Peshmerga commander told Rudaw English Monday morning. “One Peshmerga was killed as a result of the clash, and we are currently on the way to Zakho to bury his body.”
First Lieutenant Abdulrahman Sheikhmous Amin of the Peshmerga’s Roj unit was killed in the clashes that took place near Amedi’s Girgashe village, Bandi told Rudaw on Monday.
Amin was originally from the Kurdish province of Sirnak in southeastern Turkey, but a longtime resident of Zakho, a Peshmerga officer within the Roj unit told Rudaw English. The slain lieutenant was more widely known as Jahid Abdulrahman Amin, the Roj unit officer added.
PKK-affiliated media Hawar News has reported that three PKK fighters were heavily injured in the fighting, one of which passed away early Monday morning.
Tensions have tightened between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and PKK in recent months.
The armed group claimed an attack on an oil pipeline in late October, which paused the Kurdistan Region’s oil exports to Turkey.
In a speech given on Wednesday, Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani accused “foreign” entities of instigating violence in widespread protests that have consumed parts of the Kurdistan Region since early December.
"We are against an intra-Kurdish war, but this should not be taken advantage of. We will not allow illegitimate substitutes to replace the KRG," he said.
Top Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani on November 2 accused the group of taking advantage of the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) group to invade the autonomous region in northern Iraq.
Clashes erupted between Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Peshmerga forces and PKK fighters in Chamanke sub-district of Duhok on November 4, resulting in the death of one Peshmerga and the injuries of two others.
The PKK is a Kurdish armed group fighting for increased cultural and political rights of Kurds in Turkey. It has bases in many mountainous areas of the Kurdistan Region.
Updated at 12:28 pm
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