Iraqi Army forces dispatched to northern town, increasing Baghdad-Kurds tension

According to reports wired by Kurdish news agencies including the Peyamner News Agency, Kurdistan Democratic Party official Hakem Hassan in the town of Sa’dia in northern Iraq said Iraqi Army reinforcements dispatched in this area and their command stationing in the region is meant to strengthen the forces of Iraqi Army 4th Brigade due to the tensions in the region.
Maliki’s government lacks significant sovereignty over the region and people in this area are mainly Sunni Arabs supporting the Iraqiya Coalition led by Ayad Allawi, he added.
“We will not accept Iraqi Army forces to be illegally dispatched to this area,” said Kurdistan Regional Government Deputy Prime Minister Emad Ahmad.
“We will not allow the Army to be used for political retaliations,” he added.
Furthermore, a group of people in the Iraqi border city of Khaneqein went to the Nudaman region near this city and staged a protest gathering.
“People in this region demand the Iraqi Army to retreat,” said Salam Abdullah representing the gathering.