Heavy clashes are taking place between PUK peshmerga and the Shia militias in Duz Xurmatu since last night.

According to reports of local sources, violent clashes between peshmerga forces affiliated to PUK commander Mahmut Sengavi and Hızbi Dawa forces within the Shia militia of Heshd al Shebi erupted at 00:30 last night and continue non-stop since.

As the fighting spreads to larger areas in the town, heavy weaponry is also used in clashes since earlier this morning.

As reports of dead and wounded are coming through from the town amid intensifying clashes, peshmerga forces are dispatching reinforcements to the area, local sources report. Accordingly, one peshmerga commander has died and Shia militia have suffered losses during the clashes ongoing since last night.

Concerns exist over the spreading of the fighting to settlements co-inhabited by Kurds and Turkmens.

On November 11, 2015, a clash at a peshmerga check point resulted in the death of 3 militias and injury of one other. As the fighting spread to the town center a while later, dozens were killed and hundreds were injured during the days of fighting between Shia Turkmens and Kurds. Numerous houses and workplaces were set on fire and burned down.

Despite the following cessation of the clashes through talks, the town was divided into Kurdish and Turkmen neighborhoods and the two sides have reportedly been preparing to fight for a while.