Iraqi-Iranian forces take Kirkuk’s oil fields against zero Kurdish resistance
Tehran chalked up a major victory Monday when Iraqi Shiite militias under the orders of the Revolutionary Guards’ Qassem Soleimini, alongside the Iraqi army, delivered the Kirkuk oil center to Baghdad after a short-lived operation. The Kurdish Peshmerga surprised by showing hardly any resistance after the desertion of a group of Kurdish units. The Peshmerga later issued a statement accusing a faction from one of the two main Iraqi Kurdish political parties, the ruling Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), of committing “a great and historic treason.”
DEBKAfile’s military sources note the situation around Kirkuk is not entirely clear. It appears that the troops loyal to the Talabani clan of Sulaymaniyeh, the Kurdish province that lies on the Iranian border, were intimidated by Soleimani’s threats of retribution and backed out of the fight. In less than a day, therefore, the Iraqi-Iranian force recaptured most of the oil fields around Kirkuk, which the Kurds had held for three years since the Iraqi army fled the advancing Islamic State, and also took over nearby Kurdish military bases. But by nightfall its troops had still not entered the city of Kirkuk.
If your ally is the USA – you are in big Trouble!
I assumed that the US
will once again forsake the kurds !
Woe to the US – One day the will look for help/allies , but no one will care…
they’ll all be dead
That’s what the Iran is telling to everyone in the region that Americans are not trustworthy.
it would seem that PUK units were tasked with defending the oil fields, and that they retired from the battlefield. please explain how THAT constitutes an american betrayal.
american war planes were flying above the battle arena, and the iraqi air force had been instructed that if they entered the area, they’d be intercepted and shot down. Please explain how THAT constitutes and American betrayal.
The Iranian Kurds did not want to be liquidated by the shia Persians
Zero resistance zero losses, let’s see how successfully they will begin pumping oil.
Crumbling empire…. Rome
It is hard to defend oil fields, the mistake was not blowing them up. Go Kurds! Everyone is rooting for you