The Makhmour clashes (October 22, 2023) were a series of armed clashes which began between Peshmerga and the Iraqi army in the Kurdish majority town of Makhmour and its surrounding northwestern mountain range.
| 2023 Makhmour clashes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Iraqi-Kurdish conflict | |||||||
 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Peshmerga |
 Iraqi army | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Saleh Zirari †Posho Khalid †[3] | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
4 killed 5 wounded[4][5] |
2 killed 6 wounded[4] | ||||||
Background
editMakhmour camp houses Kurdish refugees from Turkey. It is located in an area disputed between Baghdad and Erbil and therefore characterized by a security vacuum. It has been hit many times by Turkish forces claiming to target the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). On the 19th of October, the PKK announced that it had withdrawn all its fighters from the camp and Iraqi troops were subsequently stationed in the areas they had evacuated.[6]
Clashes
editThe clash, which reportedly broke out in the afternoon,[7] and lasted for around two hours before abating when commanders from both sides sought to defuse tensions, said military and Peshmerga sources.[8] The commander of the 18th Peshmerga infantry brigade Salih Zirari, and his deputy Posho Khalid were among the dead.[9][10]
Aftermath
editIraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani called for restraint following clashes between the Iraqi army and Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the disputed town, and directed a high-level committee to investigate the incident. The decision was welcomed by the Peshmerga ministry.[4] In November 2023, it was announced that the Iraqi Army and Peshmerga had come into an agreement.
References
edit- ^ "Iraq Security and Humanitarian Monitor". enablingpeace.org.
- ^ "Peshmerga, Iraqi army to share control of Makhmour military posts". Rudaw.
- ^ "Peshmerga deputy commander dies, raising Makhmour death toll to 4". Rudaw.
- ^ a b c "Sudani urges restraint after Iraqi, Kurdish Makhmour clashes". rudaw.net. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ "Qarachugh clashes: struggle to control strategic, military and economic region". KirkukNow.
- ^ "Peshmerga, Iraqi army clash near Makhmour camp". rudaw.net. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ "3 soldiers killed in clash with Kurdish unit in N. Iraq-Xinhua". english.news.cn. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- ^ "Four killed in clashes between Iraqi army and Kurdish Peshmerga, security sources say". Reuters. 2023-10-22. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- ^ "Qarachugh clashes: struggle to control strategic, military and economic region". KirkukNow.
- ^ "Peshmerga deputy commander dies, raising Makhmour death toll to 4". Rudaw.