Iraq’s army and Peshmerga agree to establish new positions in Qarachogh mountain

ERBIL, November 2 — The Iraqi Army and Peshmerga forces have agreed to establish new positions in the Qarachogh Mountain area south of Erbil, following recent clashes between the two sides in Makhmour.

A meeting between the two forces took place following the events of October 22, when clashes erupted between Iraqi Army and Peshmerga forces on the outskirts of Makhmour.

A unit from the 14th Division of the Iraqi Army moved to fill the vacuum left by withdrawing units affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). This area serves as a contact line between federal forces and the regional guard, but Peshmerga were reportedly unaware, leading to tensions and verbal altercations that escalated to gunfire.

A Facebook post by Peshmerga commander Sirwan Barzani said:

With the aim of consolidating military positions in Mount Qarachogh between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi Army, today we held a joint meeting with the Chief of Staff of the Peshmerga Forces, Lieutenant General Isa Auzari, and several other leaders from the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs. We also met with a delegation from the Iraqi Army, including the Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army, Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah, and the Deputy Commander of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Qais Khalf Rahima, along with many other senior leaders of the Iraqi Army. We visited the sites in the field and reached an appropriate agreement to address the issues and establish new points in Mount Qarachogh, in addition to emphasizing continuous cooperation and coordination.”