The clash between Iraqi soldiers and Kurdish Peshmerga forces in a mountainous northern region resulted in the death of two soldiers from each side, according to sources from both Iraqi and Kurdish security. Following the incident, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani ordered the formation of a high-level committee to conduct an investigation, as stated by a military spokesperson for Sudani. The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters had previously evacuated positions near Makhmour and relinquished control to the Iraqi army. However, the ruling party in Iraqi Kurdistan, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which comprises Peshmerga fighters, attempted to reclaim the positions, leading to the clashes.
Prior reports from the army and Peshmerga indicated that two Iraqi soldiers and one Peshmerga fighter were killed, with an additional Peshmerga lieutenant colonel succumbing to his injuries. Furthermore, six Iraqi soldiers and five Peshmerga fighters sustained injuries, two of whom were in critical condition. The conflict lasted approximately two hours before commanders from both sides intervened to de-escalate the situation, as confirmed by military and Peshmerga sources.
According to three army sources, the Iraqi army remains in control of the mountainous positions. However, military sources state that both parties are sending reinforcements to the area due to the delicate nature of the situation. Makhmour, located approximately 70 km southeast of Mosul and 60 km southwest of Erbil, the Kurdish capital, is the site of the recent clash between the two forces. Notably, the last armed clash between these two groups occurred in 2017, when Iraqi government forces retaliated against a Kurdish regional government-organized independence referendum.
Reporting by Jamal al-Badrani in Mosul and Ahmed Rasheed in Baghdad; Writing by Ahmed Rasheed; editing by John Stonestreet and Josie Kao
