Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi said that the diversity in Kirkuk province requires cooperation between the federal government, the local administration and the Kurdistan regional government (KRG), stressing that the people’s interests should be a priority and reaffirming that the security situation in the province is under control.
The PM’s comments came at a meeting of the National Security Council attended by acting governor of Kirkuk and the commander of joint operations command in Kirkuk to assess the overall situation in the multi-ethnic province.
"The security situation in Kirkuk is under control despite some complications", he said, adding that "feasible security plans should be sought and backed by political efforts and full cooperation between all parties, without excluding any group and under a united Iraq and a unified national will." He also called for enforcement of the law “to enable the armed forces and security departments to perform their duties."
PM Abdul Mahdi emphasized the need to avoid statements that do not serve security and stability in the province, stressing that “the Islamic State (IS) is the only enemy and that the efforts to pursue the group’s remnants should continue.
On May 30, multiple bombings rocked the city of Kirkuk which left many casualties among civilians shopping at local markets ahead of the upcoming Eid al-Fitr.
The Iraqi PM said that "the diversity in Kirkuk requires cooperation between the federal government, the local administration and the Kurdistan regional government (KRG)”, reiterating the need to give the people’s higher interests a priority in a way that preserves national unity and serves all the different components of the province."
He indicated that "the IED bombings have been exaggerated in addition to the escalation provoked via media statements."
