ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Sunday called for restraint following clashes between the Iraqi army and Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Erbil province’s Makhmour, and directed a high-level committee to investigate the incident. The decision was welcomed by the Peshmerga ministry.
Peshmerga forces and Iraqi army soldiers clashed near Erbil province’s Makhmour refugee camp on Sunday afternoon over outposts recently evacuated by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), resulting in casualties on both sides.
Sudani “followed up the details of the incident that occurred … on Sunday within the Makhmour sector,” said a statement from Yehia Rasool, military spokesperson of the Iraqi prime minister.
Rasool said that Sudani ordered the formation of a high-level committee to determine the circumstances and details of the incident, and called on all leaders and commanders from the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Peshmerga ministry to practice self-restraint and “act with great prudence”.
Three killed and seven injuries were sustained on both sides, according to Rasool.
The chief of staff of the Peshmerga ministry expressed support for Sudani’s decision in a statement, calling to conduct a “swift and transparent” investigation to find out “the causes of the incident and to find a suitable solution to establish security and stability in the region.”
“The Peshmerga ministry reaffirms its commitment to working with the federal government for a radical and sustainable solution that achieves security and stability across Iraq," said the statement.
Makhmour camp houses Kurdish refugees from Turkey. It is located in an area disputed between Baghdad and Erbil and therefore characterized by a security vacuum. It has been hit many times by Turkish forces claiming to target the PKK. On Thursday, the PKK announced that it had withdrawn all its fighters from the camp, and Iraqi troops were subsequently stationed in the areas they had evacuated.
The Iraqi army has demanded control of the three posts in return for providing security for the camp. The posts, however, are located within the jurisdiction of the Peshmerga forces per a security agreement between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi army’s Nineveh Joint Operations Command, according to Ghazi Faisal, head of a unit of Peshmerga volunteers in Makhmour district.
Ankara believes the PKK uses Makhmour camp as a training ground, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2021 calling it an “incubation center for terrorism.”
The Iraqi army unsuccessfully attempted to take over the camp in May.
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