ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Peshmerga forces repelled an assault by Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi militia and the Iraqi army in the town of Makhmour Tuesday noon, causing fatalities among the group, said a Peshmerga official.
“At 12pm, the Hashd al-Shaabi attacked the Peshmerga on the Bazarga heights in Makhmour,” confirmed a Peshmerga, adding the attack was defeated.
The Peshmerga added that there were casualties among the Hashd attackers.
It added that four Hummers belonging to the Shiite militias were destroyed.
The commander added the attack came after the group’s build-up in the region for the past two days.
Following the attack, the Peshmerga ministry said that the Iraqi forces are violating agreements reached for borderlines between both sides.
“The Iraqi forces and Hashd al-Shaabi do not abide by any agreements reached over defining borderlines,” said the ministry.
The ministry added the Iraqi forces continue their military build up across all disputed areas.
“The Hashd al-Shaabi’s insistence to advance forward is clear gesture that they have bad intentions,” the ministry said, noting “they want to violate the dignity and prestige of the people of Kurdistan and that these kinds of conducts are in no way acceptable.”
The Peshmerga are doing their utmost to “defend the Kurdistan land and the lives and dignity of people.”
Earlier this morning the Iraqi forces launched a similar attack on the Peshmerga in Rabia on the Syrian border, but the attack was repelled.
“At 12pm, the Hashd al-Shaabi attacked the Peshmerga on the Bazarga heights in Makhmour,” confirmed a Peshmerga, adding the attack was defeated.
The Peshmerga added that there were casualties among the Hashd attackers.
It added that four Hummers belonging to the Shiite militias were destroyed.
The commander added the attack came after the group’s build-up in the region for the past two days.
Following the attack, the Peshmerga ministry said that the Iraqi forces are violating agreements reached for borderlines between both sides.
“The Iraqi forces and Hashd al-Shaabi do not abide by any agreements reached over defining borderlines,” said the ministry.
The ministry added the Iraqi forces continue their military build up across all disputed areas.
“The Hashd al-Shaabi’s insistence to advance forward is clear gesture that they have bad intentions,” the ministry said, noting “they want to violate the dignity and prestige of the people of Kurdistan and that these kinds of conducts are in no way acceptable.”
The Peshmerga are doing their utmost to “defend the Kurdistan land and the lives and dignity of people.”
Earlier this morning the Iraqi forces launched a similar attack on the Peshmerga in Rabia on the Syrian border, but the attack was repelled.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment