This is the claim by Kurdish security forces- unnamed Iraqi News
Iraqi troops have given the Peshmerga troops two-hour ultimatum to withdraw from border crossing on Iraqi-Turkish-Syrian borders, a Kurdish security source said on Friday.
Speaking to Alghad Press on Friday, the source said, “the federal troops informed Kurdish troops deployed at Faysh Khabur border crossing that they will attack the crossing in two hours and urged them to withdraw before end of the period.”The Kurdistan Region Security Council said on Thursday Iraqi forces have launched an attack against the Kurdish Peshmerga troops deployed in Zummar, northwestern Nineveh.
Iraqi troops headed on Wednesday toward Ibrahim al-Khalil border crossing in Duhuq between Iraq and Turkey to impose control on it, Russian Sputnik news agency reported.Earlier this week, a source from the Iraqi army’s elite Counter-Terrorism Service, told Alghad Press that army troops are getting ready to advance toward Faysh Khabur exit, between Iraq and Syria, within the coming few hours. He added that the exit border was located within Mosul before 2003.
Baghdad had declared intentions to retake areas disputed on with Erbil following the Kurdistan Region’s vote for independence from Iraq in September, urging Peshmerga to cooperate with federal troops.
Iraqi troops, backed by PMFs, took over Kirkuk province from Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and reached to southern borders of Erbil last week, fulfilling instructions made earlier by Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi to retake areas where sovereignty is disputed with Kurdistan Region’s Government.
According to Wikipedia: Faysh Kabur is an Assyrian Town
It is named after the Khabur River on which the town is built, and lies on the confluence of the Tigris and Khabur river. The town is in a very strategic location, as it lies just 4 km from the three way border crossing with Turkey and Syria, known as the Semalka border crossing. Faysh Khabur is inhabited by Chaldean Catholic Assyrians, in addition to some Kurds. The town has a large monastery overlooking the Khabur river which was recently restored.
Inter Kurdish bickering may result in Barzani stepping down. If he does my prediction regarding his entirely predictable exit will have been correct, though taking a bit longer then I'd anticipated.
"With perhaps less to show for his official independence efforts now than when he began, Barzani appears poised to decline his eight-month extension of power, effectively dissolving his position and handing power to other Barzani family members, but also strengthening the hand of opposition parties"
I'll be keeping an eye on that situation UPDATED REGARDING BORDER CROSSING FIGHTING:US Led Coalition Announces Ceasefire (kurdish source)
Iraqi forces and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters on Friday reached an agreement to stop fighting between the two sides, the US-led coalition media office said.The ceasefire agreement covers all the front lines, a spokesperson for the coalition in Baghdad told Reuters.
Recently, the clashes have been intensified between both sides, mostly in the northwestern corner of the country in Rabia where the Iraqi forces and the militias aim to advance toward the Turkish border and control the Syrian Kurdistan border crossing of Faysh Khabur.
Is this true or disinfo intended to sway the battles? Why would the Iraqis agree to this?I can understand why the Americans would want this, but, why would the Iraqi central government?It appears my suspicions were well founded- NO Ceasefire agreement has been reached despite Kurdish/US conspiracy disinfoMcClatchy DC
October 27, 2017 10:22 AM BAGHDAD The Latest on developments in Iraq (all times local):5:15 p.m.
The spokesperson for the U.S.-led Coalition says he incorrectly announced a cease-fire has been reached between the Iraqi central government and the country's Kurdish minority.
Well, Dillon is a liar.
Col. Ryan Dillon says while talks are ongoing and clashes had temporarily ceased, an official cease-fire had not been declared Friday.
Related from yesterday: Iraqi Forces Clash With Kurdish Troops Near Strategic BorderRelated from last week: