“We are alarmed by significant Iraqi military buildup in the vicinity of Makhmour, South West of Erbil, in preparation for an attack on nearby Peshmerga positions,” the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) tweeted on Monday afternoon.
According to the agency, over the past five days forces of the army, Federal Police, Emergency Response Division, and Popular Mobilization Units (Hashd al-Shaabi) have deployed to the area with the plan to carry out an attack on the road connecting Mosul and Kirkuk.
“Peshmerga forces withdrew from Makhmour in October to the current position to avoid military clashes with Iraqi forces,” KRSC stated. “We call on the Iraqi Govt to stop its provocative advances.”
They also urged the international community to condemn Iraq’s military aggression and accept a call to dialogue.
A military spokesperson in Baghdad denied that they are planning to resume their offensive against the Kurdish forces, according to Reuters.
Kurdish forces withdrew from Makhmour in mid-October as part of wider Iraqi advances in the disputed areas. A ceasefire has held since late October and the two sides held several meetings to negotiate control over the disputed areas and the international borders. No final agreement was reached, however.
Updated at 8:38pm
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