Published September 05,2023
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The US on Tuesday condemned violence in Kirkuk after protests broke out within the northern Iraqi metropolis in the course of the weekend.
“We’re closely monitoring the tensions in Kirkuk, and we condemn the violence that took place and express our condolences to the families of those killed,” State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel instructed reporters.
“The US calls on all parties to resolve any disputes through dialogue and through the activation of article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution,” added Patel.
Article 140 requires settling the scenario in disputed areas between Baghdad and Erbil and giving the inhabitants the best to decide on to stay underneath the federal authorities or be part of the semi-autonomous Kurdish area in northern Iraq. It additionally requires a preferred referendum to find out if Kirkuk ought to fall inside Iraq’s Kurdish area.
Due to deep-seated political sensitivities, nevertheless, Article 140 has but to be applied.
Protests erupted Monday in Kirkuk after 4 demonstrators have been shot lifeless and 15 have been wounded in the course of the weekend.
Protests broke out in late August following a authorities determination at hand over the Kirkuk Operations Command headquarters to the KDP, which argued that the constructing was beforehand utilized by them and needs to be given again to the social gathering.
Peshmerga forces of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) have been deployed to bases evacuated by the Iraqi military in Kirkuk following the emergence of the Daesh/ISIS terror group in 2014.
In 2017, Iraqi authorities forces entered Kirkuk, ending the Peshmerga presence within the metropolis.
Source: www.anews.com.tr
