Kurds, Iranians, Shiite Troops Unite to Take Back Oil-Rich Kirkuk in Iraq

Kurdish Peshmerga forces, Shiite paramilitaries and the Iraqi Army will soon launch a joint operation to drive Daesh terrorists out of the oil-rich province of Kirkuk in northern Iraq.

Kurdish Peshmerga forces and Shiite paramilitary groups, backed by Iran and the Iraqi Army, are planning an offensive against Daesh terrorists in the province of Kirkuk in northern Iraq, according to the Kuwaiti newspaper al-Sabah.

Al-Sabah reported that during the course of the upcoming military operation, the troops are expected to approach Mosul, the largest Iraqi city to have fallen to Daesh during their previous offensive.

Members of the Kurdish peshmerga forces gather in the town of Sinjar, Iraq. File photo

© Sputnik / Ari Jalal

On Tuesday, Hadi al-Amiri, leader of the Badr Organization, an Iranian-sponsored Shiite militia and political party, met with Karim Sinjari, Interior Minister of the Kurdish Regional Government and Iraq Defense Ministry officials in Kirkuk. 

During the meeting, they agreed on a plan to win back the territories located between Kirkuk and the Baiji district right down to the al-Shirqat district of Saladin Province in northern Iraq, Reuters reported, referring to local sources.

Al-Shirqat is located about 100 kilometers west of Kirkuk and around 60 kilometers north of Baiji. As for Kirkuk, it is currently controlled by Peshmerga forces, while the Baiji district is controlled by the organization Badr.

The terrorist group Daesh is now believed to be one of the major threats to global security. Daesh terrorists have managed to capture huge areas in Iraq and Syria over the past three years.

In addition, they are trying to spread their influence in North Africa, including Libya. Daesh reportedly numbers between 50,000 and 200,000 terrorists and currently controls about 90,000 kilometers of land.