Al-Shahristani: Peshmerga Occupy Areas in Kirkuk and Nineveh
Oil being taken to Kurdistan Region, he claims

Basnews views 27.07.2015 14:24

BAGHDAD – The Iraq’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research has accused the Kurdish Peshmerga forces of occupying areas in Kirkuk and Nineveh provinces.

Hussain Al-Shahristani told local media that the disputes between Erbil and Baghdad are not solely limited to the oil exports. “The Peshmerga have occupied some areas in Kirkuk and Nineveh provinces where the Iraqi government was in control until last year,” Al-Shahristani said.

“There are oil fields in these areas which the Iraqi North Oil Company was previously controlling,” he claimed. “But the Kurds are now taking the produced oil to the Kurdistan Region.”

Al-Shahristani believes that the issue can be resolved through Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution, which states that areas claimed by the KRG under the authority of Iraqi central government should be subject to a referendum to determine the future of their governance.

He pointed out further x disputes between the central and regional governments such as KRG borders, international crossing borders, customs revenue and granting visas to the foreigners.

Following the fall of Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, to Islamic State in June 2014, Kurdish forces have taken control of the disputed areas in order to protect civilians against the jihadists.

https://www.basnews.com/en/news/2015/...k-and-nineveh/