Kirkuk IV.

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Oil and Oil!!

Additional items of interest regarding the Kirkuk situation. Oil deposits known and possible vicinity Kirkuk the source of this discord?

1. "After Lightning Offensive, Kirkuk Is Now Fully Under Iraqi Military Control"

Iraq's military has effectively gained control of major assets and government buildings in Kirkuk city, and is now set to fully pacify it after overnight clashes at a moment when oil prices rose toward a six month high as the conflict now threatens output.

2. "Casualties Reported After Iraqi Troops Enter Oil Rich Kurdish City Of Kirkuk; Oil Spikes"

In a major escalation involving the disputed Iraqi Kurdish region, which last month declared independence following a referendum which was not recognized by any of its neighbors or Baghdad

3. "Barrels, ballots and ISIS: Why Iraq is taking back Kirkuk, and what the US will do about it"

Baghdad’s military incursion into Kurdish-controlled Kirkuk shows that the carve-up of the post-Islamic State landscape in the Middle East is in full swing, and leaves the US bemoaning its repeated failure to influence the region as two of its sponsored allies face off against each other.

4. "Iraqi Troops Capture Kirkuk Airport From Kurds - Statement"

Tensions between Baghdad and Kirkuk have further escalated following the Iraqi Kurdistan's independence referendum with Iraqi troops conducting an operation in the region.

KIRKUK APPARENTLY NOT WITHIN THAT KURDISH AUTONOMOUS [SEMI-AUTONOMOUS?] REGION AS UNDERSTOOD FROM GENERALLY ACCEPTED BOUNDARY LINES. KIRKUK UNDER SIEGE FROM THE ISLAMIC STATE IN 2014, THE KURDISH DEFENDERS SUCCESSFUL AT THAT TIME.

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