Kirkuk: Kurdish–Turkmen clashes, army intervenes

Shafaq News – Kirkuk

Brief clashes erupted on Tuesday between Kurdish and Turkmen party supporters in the Altun Kupri subdistrict north of Kirkuk, shortly after Iraq’s general voting ended, local sources told Shafaq News.

The sources said the dispute erupted over disagreements regarding election results and the distribution of votes between Kurdish and Turkmen lists, leading to verbal altercations and limited physical confrontations. No firearms were used.

Iraqi army units restored order, setting up temporary checkpoints around the area to prevent the unrest from spreading to nearby neighborhoods. Local authorities also opened communication channels between both sides to resolve the dispute peacefully.

Several participants sustained minor wounds, the sources added, noting that security forces detained several individuals for questioning as part of legal procedures.

Iraq’s general elections concluded today, with nearly 20 million eligible voters selecting 329 members of parliament from over 7,000 candidates representing 37 political alliances and coalitions nationwide.

252 candidates, including 73 women, are vying for Kirkuk’s representation. Kurdish parties have chosen unity, running on a single list, while Arab and Turkmen blocs remain divided.

Read more: Iraq’s 2025 poll: +21M voters, new law, fading monitors, and fierce bloc rivalries

Earlier in the day, two police officers were killed in Kirkuk after members of a parliamentary candidate’s security team opened fire during a confrontation. According to the Iraqi Ministry of Interior, security forces arrested 14 suspects at the scene and referred them to judicial authorities.