The Pentagon says there is no fighting between Kurdish troops and Iraq government forces around the oil-rich region of Kirkuk, except for an isolated incident resulting from a misunderstanding.
“The coalition is monitoring movements of military vehicles and personnel in the vicinity of Kirkuk,” said Col. Rob Manning, a spokesman at the Pentagon Monday. “These movements of military vehicles so far, have been coordinated movements not attacks.”
A U.S. military official who spoke on the condition he was not identified said the movement of Iraqi Security Forces into several areas around Kirkuk had been coordinated with leaders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, or PUK, and took place largely without incident this morning, including a handover of control of the K-1 military base and airfield.
“We are aware of reports of a limited exchange of fire during the predawn hours of darkness on Oct. 16 and we believe this to have been an isolated incident,” Manning told reporters at the Pentagon briefing. “We have not seen the level of violence suggested in the media reports.
While downplaying the clashes between Iraqi government and Kurdish troops, Manning said the U.S. is concerned that tensions between Baghdad and Kurdish authorities over the future of Kirkuk is a “distractor” from the fight against ISIS.
“This is not helpful,” Manning said. “We strongly urge all sides to avoid additional escalatory actions.
The situation has been inflamed by the decision of the Kurdistan regional government to hold a referendum on independence, in which 93 percent of Kurds voted to break away from Iraq.
“We continue to support a unified Iraq,” Manning said. “Dialogue remains the best option to defuse ongoing tension and longstanding issues.”
