Iraqi army controls Kirkuk.. New governor appointed by Abadi…

The IRAQI FORCES captured the military base, oilfields and airport in Kirkuk with the operation they launched last night. IKRA (Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government) Peshmerge Ministry met with the international coalition in Arbil. In a statement made by the Baghdad administration regarding the Kirkuk operation, it was announced that Kirkuk was under full control and curfew was declared in the city. Tens of thousands of civilians are reported to have left the city, heading to Arbil and Suleymaniye.

The conflict in Iraq between the central Baghdad administration and the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (IKRA) regarding the power game over Kirkuk with rich oil wells entered a new stage with fresh news that Peshmerge had withdrawn from Kirkuk and the Iraqi army maintained control over many strategic areas including military bases and oil wells in Kirkuk.

Following the controversial referendum on 25 September, Baghdad had given an ultimatum to Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Administration (IKRA) to withdraw from and hand over regions to include Kirkuk airport and oil fields seized by IKRA in 2014. In the meantime, it was reported that a new governor had been appointed by the Iraqi administration to run the city.