Upon the request of Iraqi Prime minister, the minister of interior issues an arrest warrant against nine members of Iraqi Turkmen Front ITF in Kirkuk for abusing patrol of local police.
On May 5th, a number of ITF members and guards attacked a patrol of emergency police and beaten them which sparked wide protests on social media platforms pushing the Iraqi minister of interior to interfere upon request of Pm Mustafa al-Kadhimi, a source in Kirkuk Police told KirkukNow.
The source unauthorized to speak to the media said the patrol were imposing night curfew when a group of ITF vehicles were driving the opposite way and violating the curfew in 90 neighborhood of Kirkuk at 11 pm.
“Some of them were in military uniform and carrying weapons like pistol, they exchanged accusations then they assaulted the policemen, one of them is son of an ITF official.”
A video circulated on Facebook, showing part of the incident, and confirmed by KirkukNow, shows the guards carrying pistol attack the policemen and fire shot at air but it’s not clear yet which party is shooting.
“One or two policemen were slightly injured and hospitalized. The video footage pushed the minister of interior to interfere.
The oil-rich city of Kirkuk, located 238 kilometers north of Baghdad, is home to about 1.2 million Kurds, Turkmen and Arabs, according to KRG figures in 2018. Kirkuk. It has long been at the center of disputes between Baghdad and the Erbil.
Kirkuk was under control of the Kurdish forces up to 2017 when Iraqi government declared victory over the Islamic State ISIS and retook control of the disputed territories.
The disputed territories extend from Khanaqin in the east on the border with Iran to the oil rich city of Kirkuk heading to the west of Mosul in Shingal, home to Ezidi ethno-religious minority, on the border with Syria.
Currently, Kirkuk is under control of Baghdad. Kirkuk Operations command is an umbrella for local and federal police, PMF known as Hashid aal-Sha’abi and Iraqi army.
Minister of interior contacted commander of Kirkuk joint operation command and police chief. Judge has confirmed arrest warrant against nine people, two has been arrested, the source adds.
Arrest warrant is based on article 230 of Iraqi penal code of humiliation of a civil servant on duty.
Police raided ITF headquarter early in the morning, arrests two of the wanted.
KirkukNow has contacted several leaders of ITF but none of them have responded.
On May 6th, office of ITF leader, Hassan Turan, in a statement thanked Iraqi PM and commander of Iraqi forces for putting an end to the incident and following legal procedures.
“The ITF supports rule of law and highly appreciates the role of the security services in imposing law and restoring security and stability,” the statement says. “Kirkuk is a special case wisdom and logic can control crisis instead of instigating feud which failed and won’t succeed in Kirkuk.”
A copy of ITF statement and Hasan Turan, leader of ITF.
Turkmen, the third largest ethnic group in Iraq after Arabs and Kurds, are spread across the country, residing almost exclusively in the northern towns and villages stretching from Tal Afar through Mosul, Erbil, Altun Kopri, Kirkuk, Tuz Khurmatu, Kifri and Khanaqin. They are all Muslims, half Sunnis and half Shiites.
Turkmen won eight seats out of 329 in Iraq's May 2018 parliamentary elections. ITF holds three seats, and the Turkmen Bloc has five seats.
“Our guards have surrendered because we believe in law and Iraqi judiciary. We have to unite in face of the terrorists whom want to harm our province. We highly appreciate the role of Kirkuk police chief and those put an end to the crisis.”
