Kurdish-Iraqi tensions complicate difficult border situation

Kurds force Iraqi troops from Syrian border
27 July, 2012 – Al Akhbar

Kurdish-Iraqi forces have prevented Iraqi military troops from reaching the border region between the Kurdistan region of Iraq and Syria, the secretary general of the Ministry of Peshmerga told AFP on Friday.

Jabbar Yawar said: “Two days ago the Iraqi government sent military forces to the areas of Talafir and Sanajar in Mosul to protect the Iraqi-Syria border.”

“They are the tenth group to have come from Nasiriyah, southern Baghdad. The 32 regiment of this group tried to access Mosul at 6 o clock coming from Rabia (North West Iraq) to Zamar, but were prevented by the Eighth brigade of the ministry of Peshmerga (Kurdish military) who asked them not to enter the territory.”

There informal border crossing between Syria and the Kurdistan region of western Iraq is near the town of Dohuk, which has been controlled by the Peshmerga since 1992.

Yawar cited the reason for preventing the military form reaching this area as a lack of “prior coordination.”

“They did not come after having previously coordinated with us. These are disputed areas in which the second brigade of the Peshmerga forces and well as the 15th brigade of border police are present.”

These areas do not need any additional troops. They are safe and stable, and nothing happens with the Syrian side,” he added.

Recently, Iraqi authorities have deployed additional troops at the borders with Syria which are witnessing clashes between Syrian pro-regime forces and the armed opposition, who control one of the 3 key crossing between the two countries. …source