2023 Makhmour clashes

2023 Makhmour clashes
Part of Iraqi–Kurdish conflict
Date October 22, 2023 (1 day) Location Makhmur, Nineveh Governorate, Iraq Result Ceasefire Iraqi Army and Peshmerga agree to share control of former PKK posts in Makhmur district; Iraqi army gains control of three of them and maintains full control over Makhmur refugee camp
Belligerents
Iraq Iraqi Ground Forces	Peshmerga
Commanders and leaders
Unknown	Saleh Zirari † Posho Khalid †
Casualties and losses
2 killed 6 wounded	4 killed 5 wounded

The Makhmour clashes (October 22, 2023) occurred between Iraqi Ground Forces and Peshmerga in the Kurdish majority Makhmur District and its surrounding northwestern mountain range. The district is part of the disputed territories, and as such, the area is claimed by the Kurdistan Regional Government. The clashes began after PKK suddenly withdrew from their posts (including from Makhmour refugee camp), allowing the Iraqi army to take control of the camp as well as advance further north towards Erbil. The KRG rejected the move, claiming that it violated a previous agreement between the Iraqi army’s Nineveh Joint Operations Command and Peshmerga. Iraqi Kurdish officials later attributed the clashes to “a misunderstanding”.

Background

Following the 2017 Iraqi-Kurdish conflict, the Iraqi army took control of the town of Makhmur, while Peshmerga withdrew from large parts located south of Erbil including Gwer, located approximately 20 kilometers from the city. The PKK however, remained stationed in military posts between the two sides as well as in Makhmour camp, which houses Kurdish refugees from Turkey. The camp is located in an area disputed between Baghdad and Erbil and therefore characterized by a security vacuum. It has been hit many times by Turkish forces claiming to target the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). On the 19th of October, the PKK announced that it had withdrawn all its fighters from the area (specifically three military posts and the refugee camp) and Iraqi troops were subsequently stationed in the areas they had evacuated. The Kurdistan Regional Government based in Erbil rejected the move, as it claims the territory the PKK withdrew from belongs to its own jurisdiction. This prompted the Peshmerga to attack the Iraqi army.

Clashes

The clash, which reportedly broke out in the afternoon, and lasted for around two hours before abating when commanders from both sides sought to defuse tensions, said Iraqi military and Peshmerga sources.

Aftermath

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani called for restraint following clashes between the Iraqi army and Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the disputed area, and directed a high-level committee to investigate the incident. The decision was welcomed by the Peshmerga ministry. In November 2023, it was announced that the Iraqi Army and Peshmerga had come into an agreement. It included dividing the previous three PKK evacuated positions into six and split between the two sides. The agreement did not include sharing control of the town of Makhmur nor the refugee camp. Ultimately, the Iraqi army extended its territorial control, including over the refugee camp. The commander of the 18th Peshmerga infantry brigade Salih Zirari, and his deputy Posho Khalid were among the dead.