Baghdad Refuses Kurdistan's Offer To Freeze Referendum in Exchange for Dialogue

Baghdad Refuses Kurdistan's Offer To Freeze Referendum in Exchange for Dialogue

News #12 - Oct. 26, 2017, 2:30 PM

At 6 AM, Thursday morning, Oct. 26, PMF (or Hashd Al Shaabi) and Iraqi army attacked Peshmerga by heavy weapons in three zones: Zumar, Mahmudia, Rabia. Peshmerga returned fire for one hour. PMF tried to control Sehala until Faysh Khabur check point east of Dicle River on the borders of Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. They were prevented by Peshmerga from getting to Sehala. In this battle, two T72 tanks and four Humvees, all from PMF, were destroyed. Ten PMF fighters were killed. Four Peshmerga were killed and ten injured. Wahid Bakozi, commander of Sinjar Peshmerga was killed.

One hour after this battle, PMF forces in Altun Kopri, half-way between Kirkuk and Erbil, attacked Peshmerga. Peshmerga returned fire. After half-an-hour, 12 PMF were killed and 10 injured. Peshmerga also suffered losses and injuries, but did not give a number. At this battle, PMF could not advance.

At 12 noon, today, Peshmerga forces attacked a military lieutenant of PMF in Makhmur, 40 km from Erbil. After half-an-hour, PMF withdrew more than one kilometer from their position.

All these attacks were happening on Thursday, while the P.M. of Iraq, Haider Al Abadi is in Iran, and the U.S. asked Iraq to accept the Kurdistan suggestion for dialogue. KRG stated it will "freeze" the referendum results in exchange for a cease fire and dialogue with Baghdad. Baghdad refused this offer and continues in its attack on Kurdistan.

by Ali Javanmardi, independent journalist, Kurdistan