Kirkuk Governor denies Arab MP's accusations of Peshmerga war crimes
Kirkuk hosts nearly 500,000 IDPs of which most have found shelter at the camps east and south of the city.
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Governor of Kirkuk on Monday responded to an Iraqi MP over accusations the Peshmerga forces were committing crimes against Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the Kirkuk front lines.
Following a meeting with local institutions, Kirkuk Governor Najmaddin Karim praised the role of the security forces in arresting Islamic State (IS) suspects, sleeper cells, and insurgents infiltrating among the IDPs in Kirkuk.
Karim responded to Iraqi MP Mohammed Tamim after he accused the Kurdish forces of abusing IDPs and even compared them to IS extremists.
Karim said Tamim’s statement against the Peshmerga forces required him to deliver an official apology to the Kurdish troops and people of Kirkuk.
“We are living in peace and stability due to the sacrifices of the Peshmerga,” the Governor stated.
Tamim’s comments come following a video spread on social media showing two armed men torturing two people.
Kurdistan24 could not verify the date and credibility of the video.
The Kirkuk Governor added the province had been able to host 30,000 displaced families from Hawija and its surrounding areas where all have been received and taken care of by Peshmerga forces.
Currently, Kirkuk hosts nearly 500,000 IDPs of which most have found shelter at the camps east and south of the city.
Additionally, a Peshmerga Ministry official said the armed men in the video did not belong to the Peshmerga forces, stating they would investigate the case.
The Peshmerga official added the people who appeared in the video receiving the abuse were currently living in Kirkuk and urged them to file a lawsuit against the perpetrators.
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany