Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraqis Seize Military Base, Oil Field from Kurdish Forces near Contested Kirkuk

Oct 16, 2017 | Loveday Morris and Mustafa Salim, Washington Post
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Iraqi forces said Monday they seized a military base, an oil field and other key infrastructure from Kurdish soldiers near the northern city of Kirkuk, as the two U.S. allies face off over territory and oil in the wake of the Kurdish region’s independence vote last month. Clashes broke out despite an order from Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi for his troops to avoid violence. Iraqi forces advanced into the contested province with the goal of returning to positions they held before 2014, when they fled in the face of an Islamic State push. The positions had since been taken over by Kurdish troops.