A military commander of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces is determined they will be back to Mosul once the joint coordination center is in office, while Baghdad denies any bases or moves by the Peshmerga within control of Iraqi forces.
Kirkuk joint operation center has met on May 23rd following months of negotiations between Baghdad and Erbil to establish joint commands to stand in the face of attacks by remnants of the Islamic State IS militants lately escalated in the disputed territories, particularly the suburbs of Kirkuk.
The Iraqi ministry of defense and KRG ministry of Peshmerga have held several meetings to establish joint rooms and centers to coordinate operations in Baghdad, Erbil, Kirkuk, Makhmour, Diyalah and Mosul.
Major General Tariq Harmini, commander of Peshmerga in Tilsqof of the plains of Nineveh, told KirkukNow "No doubt the Peshmerga will be back to Mosul."
"We will be back to the territories we were based before events of October 16th, 2017 which is in the interest of both sides."
"No doubt the Peshmerga will be back to Mosul."
The Kurdish Peshmerga have replaced Iraqi forces in the disputed territories which the latter deserted under pressure of attacks by the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria ISIS in 2014.
Following declaration of victory over ISIS in 2017, Iraqi forces ousted the Kurdish Peshmerga from those territories.
Currently, Iraqi army, local and federal police along with PMF are under joint operations’ commands, an umbrella for security forces running the security in the disputed territories in Kirkuk, Nineveh and Diyala.
According to the Iraqi constitution, the Federal and the regional government can jointly run 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.
Lately, Arabs and Turkmen of Kirkuk publicly denied the return of the Peshmerga to Kirkuk and called on the Iraqi government the security of the multiethnic city to be run by Iraqi forces.
Major General Yehia Rasool, spokesperson of commander-in-chief said on Monday the joint coordination centers between the forces of the federal government & the regional guards (Peshemrga) are important.
"Their duty is sharing information about Daesh terrorist gangs. Peshemrga forces have not carried out any moves from the territories controlled by the federal government," he added.
Kurds insist by their return, security, safety and stability will be highly restored.
"Due to the security gap, the return of the Peshmerga is a 100% security guarantee for the locals and urges the IDPs to return home," major general Harmini said.
Due to the security gap, the return of the Peshmerga is a 100% security guarantee for the locals and urges the IDPs to return home
Harmini said the joint committees are still meeting and no date set for the return of the Peshmerga.
The opening of Sihela Joint coordination center in mosul is scheduled for this week.
Major General Abdulkhaliq Talaat, representative of ministry of Peshmerga in the Iraqi joint operations’ command told the Kurdistan Democratic Party KDP media tht following the opening of the all centers for joint coordination, tow joint brigades of Iraqi army and the Peshmerga will return to the region.
Following the military defeat of ISIS, discord over security arrangements, public services, and the lack of a unified administration in the disputed territories, have plagued victims and survivors.
lately the Iraqi forces have launched several anti-ISIS operations in Kirkuk and Diyalah following a series of deadly attacks by the extremist militants in the towns of Daquq, Hawija and Pirdy of Kirkuk in April and May.
