BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Security forces and police in the northern Iraqi oil city of Kirkuk reported that a protester was fatally shot and a dozen others were wounded during clashes between ethnic groups on Saturday. The ongoing dispute revolves around the occupation of a building in Kirkuk, which previously housed the headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) but has been utilized as an Iraqi army base since 2017.
The central government had planned to return the building to the KDP as a gesture of goodwill. However, Arab and Turkmen opponents established a camp outside the facility last week to protest this decision. The violence erupted when a group of Kurdish protesters approached the camp on Saturday, leading to the unfortunate loss of life. The circumstances surrounding the protester’s death and the identity of the individual responsible for opening fire are currently under investigation.
As stones were thrown and metal bars were used in attacks, individuals from both protest groups sustained injuries. In response, Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani implemented a curfew in Kirkuk to prevent further escalation of the violence. Additionally, he appealed to all political parties, social organizations, and community leaders to collaborate in preventing discord and maintaining security, stability, and order, as stated by the prime minister’s office.
Kirkuk, an oil-rich province in northern Iraq, is situated in the midst of tensions between the Kurdish autonomous region and areas controlled by the predominantly Shi’ite central government. The province has witnessed some of the most severe violence in Iraq since the defeat of the Islamic State.
Kurdish forces initially took control of Kirkuk city in 2014 by expelling the Islamic State. However, the Iraqi army ousted them in 2017, thereby reestablishing Baghdad’s authority over the city.
Since assuming power last year, Prime Minister Sudani has been working towards improving relations with the KDP. As part of this effort, he agreed to allow the KDP to reopen its headquarters in Kirkuk. Nevertheless, Arab residents and minority groups, including the Turkmen, who claim to have endured hardships under Kurdish rule, have exerted their opposition against the return of the KDP.
(Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
