3 killed, 16 injured in rival protest in Iraq, Curfew imposed in Kirkuk city

After rival protests between Kurdish and Arab residents turned violent killing three civilians and injuring 16 people in Iraq, a curfew has been imposed in the Iraqi city of Kirkuk, said the media reports.

Curfew in Iraq after rival protests in Kirkuk city

In an official statement, Iraq Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani has ordered to impose a curfew in the violence-hit city, Kirkuk and extensive security operations in the areas affected by the riots.

Earlier, the local officials said that one civilian was killed and eight were injured, after days of brewing tensions in Kirkuk, which has historically been disputed between the federal government in Baghdad and the authorities in the autonomous Kurdish region in the north. However, the death toll has increased to 3 while 16 others were injured.

Reportedly, the Arab residents blocked a major highway for days after the headquarters of local Iraqi security forces were reportedly handed over to the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

How did rival protests start between Iraq and Arabs? 

In 2014, the KDP and the Peshmerga, the security forces of the autonomous Kurdish region, took control of Kirkuk, which is also an oil-producing region of northern Iraq. Then in 2017, the federal troops expelled them after an abortive referendum on Kurdish independence, according to media reports.

During the latest tensions, police were deployed to act as a buffer and keep apart the rival groups.

With ANI inputs