The US is accelerating their planning for the solution they foresee for Kirkuk.

The turning over of Kirkuk’s security from Iraqi Antiterror Forces to Special Forces has started, as part of the plans. Those opposing the plans issue statements to stop the implementation. 

US HOLDS MEETING IN BAGHDAD

A meeting was held with all constituents in the US Embassy in Baghdad to resolve the Kirkuk issue and to break the influence of Iran and Turkey in the city. A plan was proposed in the meeting. According to the plan the US proposed, the Iraqi army and Hashd al Shaabi forces will leave the city center and the center‘s security will be provided by the federal police. An operations room and operations center will be set up which will include Iraqi Special Forces, Bashur’s special forces and the US. This center will be based in Q1. Security for the vicinity of Kirkuk will be under the Iraqi army and peshmerga forces. ITC representative Hasan Turan opposed this plan and the US officials rejected the opposition, saying “Peshmerga forces are an official part of the Iraqi army.”

FIRST STEP WAS SPECIAL FORCES ENTERING THE CITY

The first step of the US plan was units from Iraq’s 61st Brigade Special Forces entering the city.

According to statement released on January 23 by the Security Media Center under the Iraqi Defense Ministry, by decree of the Prime Minister and Armed Forces Commander Adil Abdulmehdi Kirkuk’s security would be taken from the Antiterror Unit and handed to the 61st Brigade Special Forces Unit.

Antiterror Police Force 2nd Division Command Press Officer Muntazar Es Saidi issued a statement and said:

“The 61st Brigade Special Forces Unit has started to enter the city with large numbers of soldiers and logistical equipment to ensure security in Kirkuk city center.” 

The units entering the city settled in the current headquarters of the Antiterror Police Force.

The statement said the Special Forces unit will be taking full control of the city’s security from February onwards.

Rakan Juburi, temporary government of Kirkuk as appointed by Haydar Abadi, said the change of the military force responsible for security in the city was changed by the Baghdad government without consulting him, in an attempt to indirectly declare that he is against the plan.

ITC member Hasan Turan, whose objections in the meeting in the US Embassy had been rejected, met with former Prime Minister Haydar Abadi to seek support for their dirty plan. A statement released in the name of Haydar Abadi after the meeting said, “We will not allow any negotiations over Kirkuk.”

The statement also said, “We will make Kirkuk a city of peace and coexistence, and we will never allow any negotiations that will disrupt the peace and safety.”

Bashuri and Iraqi politicians think ITC administrator hasan Turan’s anti-Kurdish stance in the meeting in the US Embassy in Iraq and his search for support for his dirty plans are to create chaos in Kirkuk and pit the peoples of the city against each other.