Iraqi, Kurdish forces clash in northern Iraq

[PointOfViewGun]

Two dead, 10 wounded after Iraqi, Kurdish forces clash in northern Iraq

Baghdad (CNN) -- Two people were killed and 10 others wounded in clashes Friday between Iraqi soldiers and Kurdish forces in Tuz Khurmato, a town in a disputed area of northern Iraq, police officials in Kirkuk and Baghdad told CNN.

The clashes erupted when Iraqi soldiers attempted to search a house belonging to Goran Najam, a member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, officials said. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani is the current leader of the PUK.

One of Najam's bodyguards threw a grenade at the soldiers and fighting broke out, officials said.

An Iraqi soldier was killed as well as one other person, officials said. It was not immediately clear if the second victim was a civilian or one of Najam's bodyguards.

The ethnically mixed town of Tuz Khurmato is part an area claimed by the semiautonomous region of Kurdistan and by the Baghdad government.

This got little attention from media or online sources with only short articles or none at all. Maybe I'm missing something but this seems like a major turn point for the Northern Iraqi and Iraqi central government conflict.

Can this turn into yet an other civil war? Does anyone know anything about it or have more sources?

[PoleCat]

Not good. Sounds like the pissing match between al-Maliki and Talabani may be escalating. Al-Maliki has been trying to consolidate power for some time now. If this isn't tamped down it could lead to more serious fighting between the Shiites and Kurds which could be a disaster to speak mildly....

[Odenat]

Not only this but FSA is fighting Kurdish groups at Northern Syria too. Also, there are clashes around Kirkuk between Iraq and Kurdish militia

It seems that Syrian government too prepare an attack to Northern Syrian Kurdish region.

[Menelik_I]

Funeral services in the Middle East must make billions ... you guys never stop killing each other.

I for once salute our new Kurdish Overlords.

[hellheaven1987]

Now Kurds can ally with Sunni in south to drive Shia back to Iran...

[Odenat]

Now Kurds can ally with Sunni in south to drive Shia back to Iran...

But everybody around is hating Kurds. FSA is preparing to attack, Syrian Central government too. So they succeeded to make enemies of both Syrian side, that's quite an accomplishment

Central Iraq government is building their force around Northern Iraq . Their only ally seem to be Turkey for now.

[white-wolf]

But everybody around is hating Kurds. FSA is preparing to attack, Syrian Central government too. So they succeeded to make enemies of both Syrian side, that's quite an accomplishment

Central Iraq government is building their force around Northern Iraq . Their only ally seem to be Turkey for now.

That is the irony of the century itself.

[Odenat]

That is the irony of the century itself.

Nah, only strategy. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. If this friend have oil reserves, so much better

In the mean time, Turkey continues to invest at Iraq. Just Friday, a deal of 700 M $ is signed to build a steel industry in Basra.

[Condottiere 40K]

Sounds bloodcurdling.

[Heinz Guderian]

fire some smoke shells at the Kurds, they'll think its gas like Churchill and Saddam used. everyone will disperse and democracy wins.

[Slaytaninc]

fire some smoke shells at the Kurds, they'll think its gas like Churchill and Saddam used. everyone will disperse and democracy wins.

They got gassed by Saddam with one of the most potent chemical weapons. I doubt a little smoke bothers them.

[Odenat]

Altough nobody at the Western media seems to care, the situation at Kirkuk is very tense. Both armies are preparing to face each other outside the city and car bombs are exploding inside.

[Prosaic Visitant]

Altough nobody at the Western media seems to care, .

It's like asking Chinese people to care about Togo politics.

[Jom]

It's like asking Chinese people to care about Togo politics.

I didn't know that China had invaded Togo and toppled the regime there. How interesting.

[Prosaic Visitant]

I didn't know that China had invaded Togo and toppled the regime there. How interesting.

Oh, that's right, the US is still fighting a war there. Iraq is another country (a small one at that) that's not near the US and Europe, therefore it's not surprising if the media doesn't have a collective orgasm over another paroxysm of violence in a region that's rather famous for violence.

[Jom]

Oh, that's right, the US is still fighting a war there. Iraq is another country (a small one at that) that's not near the US and Europe, therefore it's not surprising if the media doesn't have a collective orgasm over another paroxysm of violence in a region that's rather famous for violence.

Iraq is rather famous for violence precisely because of the coalition invasion. Just because there are no combat troops left there, doesn't mean the situation there isn't of interest to the west or isn't due to their invasion.

[Ó Cathasaigh]

I wonder when the debate over a Kurdish state will renew. No doubt the Turks, Syrians, and Iraqis would do anything in their power to keep that group from, you know, ruling themselves for once.

[Treize]

I always found the whole Kurdish autonomous region thingy to be rather silly. I mean it is a part of Iraq only in name really. They can do what they want themselves, the have their own military and they do their own foreign affairs. If I was an official in Baghdad I would seek to reverse this.

[Ó Cathasaigh]

Indeed. In my opinion, they've shown they can rule themselves, and if it weren't for the oil in the region, they would already. If they want to have their own state, I say let them.

[PointOfViewGun]

Northern Iraq is probably the most risky region of Iraq though. You're dealing with people who ganged up on each other only a decade ago. The tribal structure is put on check by a very delicate balance.