Iraq: ‘Biggest’ Clash in Kerkuk: 22 deaths

Kurds assaulted Musalla, the biggest neighborhood in Kirkuk, with an immense Turkmen population, with RPGs (rocket propelled grenades) on January 3 at about 19:00 p.m. According to Necmettin Kasapoglu, of the Iraq Turkmen Front in Musalla, about 300 people participated to the assault, 40 of whom were Turkmen military units belongs to the Attackers.

250 U.S. troops with military armored vehicles interfered when the conflict, which continued for three hours, had seemed to spread all over the city.

While underlying that it had been the biggest clash in Kirkuk, Kasapoglu said: "Even our women took part in the conflict. Moreover, we sometimes have to fight face to face. However, we have not had many loses because we cover ourselves well. According to information received from American authorities, 16 Kurds died in this assault. We also took part in a conflict two days ago, and four Kurds died there. They have had a total of 20 losses. We have only wounded."

In the aftermath of the clash, Kurds attacked Uruba, an Arab neighborhood nearby Musalla during the night. Two Arabs died in the attack.

Kentte geceleri Amerikan askerleri nöbet tutmaya basladi. Kasapoglu, artik herkesin Kerkük’te çözüm için yapilacak pek bir sey kalmadigini düsündügünü ve taraflarin bütün güçleriyle savasa hazirlik yaptigini söyledi.

U.S troops have started night shifts in the city. Kasapoglu said that people do not see a solution coming in Kirkuk and all sides have been preparing for war using all of their forces.

American soldiers attacked agencies of Kurdish Democrat Party (KDP) and the Union of Patriotic Kurdistan (PUK) in addition to attacking many agencies of the Iraqi Turkment Front (ITC) Kasapoglu said. "However, they could not find any arms in our agencies. Because there have not been any. American soldiers have sentenced 15 Kurds with slipping sack on their heads."