Kurdish Authorities Reinforce Troop Numbers in Kirkuk
Category: Instability
Severity: 3 (Moderate)
Source: Drum Cussac
10/13/2017 (Iraq) - Media sources report that Kurdish authorities have sent thousands of troops to Kirkuk on Friday, 13 October, after Iraqi government troops and the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of militias who are aligned with the Iraqi government, have mobilised 65 km (40 miles) to the south of the city. Sources have stated that up an additional 6,000 troops have arrived since Thursday making the total close to 16,000 soldiers. Some media sources have stated that the Iraqi government forces intend to retake military positions that were taken by Islamic State (IS) in June 2014 and were later retaken by Kurdish forces. Local sources have stated that Iraqi military units have been seen surrounding Kirkuk from the south and west of the city, with some units as close as 3km (1.8miles) away from Kurdish units. Kirkuk province is the location of northern Iraq's main oil fields and provides a key source of income for both the Kurdish and Iraqi government. It is likely that the government forces are looking to halt any advance from Kurdish forces south of Kirkuk and build up a military presence as a strategic move in order to rollback the non-binding referendum result by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for independence, which was held on 25 September.
Travellers should monitor local media sources for further updates on the operation and to remain apprised of any associated security directives. Although IS has lost much of the territory it controlled in northern Iraq, the group continues to carry out attacks on security forces in the region. IS militants have also left thousands of improvised explosive devices behind when leaving territory they previously held and have been known to booby-trap buildings. Travellers should be aware that even areas behind the frontlines in the region remain an extreme risk environment as attacks, IEDs, and unexploded ordnance continue to pose a significant threat. Travel north of Baghdad should be coordinated with security forces following a localised threat assessment and undertaken with strict security risk management measures in place, including the use of armed security escorts.
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