The Peshmerga, a military force of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), use MILAN anti-tank missiles donated by Germany for the war against ISIS to destroy military equipment belonging to the Iraqi military, according to Iraqi and Kurdish sources.
The usage of the MILAN missiles was reported in the village of Pirde.
According to the KRG, its forces destroyed an Abrams battle tank, an armoured vehicle and 12 Humvees belonging to the army.
On October 21, the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) released photos and a video of the destroyed equipment of government forces.
Footage shows American M1 Abrams at MGRS coordinates 38SME2076758246. More photos/videos expected of other US arms used against Peshmerga. pic.twitter.com/VppqScrp7X
— KR Security Council (@KRSCPress) 21 October 2017
The KRG and KRG-linked media rapidly reacted to the sitaution and started denying the usage of MILANs.
“A Peshmerga unit has denied using the German-donated MILAN anti-tank system when defending against a military offensive by Iraqi forces and the mainly Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi in Pirde (Altun Kupri). Kurdish and Iraqi forces have issued conflicting statements on Friday’s clashes.
While denying they had used weapons intended solely for the war against ISIS, the Peshmerga statement wondered about the use of American weapons and tanks against their forces by the Iraqi army and Hashd.
“We dismiss the accusation of using the MILAN weapon. However, it begs the question where the Hashd al-Shaabi militias got Abrams and T72 tanks, Humvees, and advanced weapons of the West and what entitles them to use them against the Kurdistani nation,” read a statement on Saturday from the Peshmerga that fought in Pirde,” an article of the pro-KRG media outlet Rudaw reads.
Photos released by the KRSC:
Click to see the full-size image
Click to see the full-size image
Click to see the full-size image
True, the KRG Peshmerga shot the crap out of the invading Iraqi/Iranian Forces causing well over 200 casualties at Pirde.
It was a huge blunder by Iraq to keep pressing its luck now that KRG has mobilised.
But they have fallen into the trap that was constructed JUST for them.
If they stopped listening to the Yanks and a nearby Country, they would be 10x better off.
How’s Kirkuk doing for you now ?
Kirkuk is under PUK control. No Iraqi army, no PMU. Spoke to my relatives who live there, and are police officers. PUK just appointed its mayor in Kirkuk. And talks are to continue. There isn’t a war, just skirmishes at this point. So yeah, Kirkuk is doing well! :)
Interesting, could you explain removal of all Kurdish public signs and goverment officials and arrest warrant for Kurdish mayor? Kawa you speak of what you wish for, not reality…..
PUK has sided with the Iraqi government , they apparently are the Kurds that allowed the Iraqi Army to walk into Kirkik without any resistance .
KRG , are under the Bazari clan , their enemies .
Kirkirk was not Kurdish dominated by population , hence the signs .
Yes, I agree on this and was referring to Kawa’s statement as he referred to (his report) the facts on the ground which is untrue but that seems to be his modus operandi. The Kurdish signs were removed by the Iraqi Army, there was no participation by PMU then nor now. Iraq is in full control of Kirkuk and surroundings moving to the Turkish border. “Kirkuk is under PUK control” is also not true.
Absolutely spot on again.
The PMU did participate in Kirkuk. Kirkuk is under PUK control. PUK sided with Iraq, initially they had skirmishes with the PMU and Iraqi army, but retreated after a compromise was reached between Iraq and PUK, even Bafel Talabani spoke about describing it as a tactical withdrawal. Najmadin Karim was banned from returning by the PUK. The only people in Kirkuk right now are federal police. You are just making up bullshit mate. The PUK is currently in talk with Baghdad. The PMU is part of the army, genius.
Kawa, the official Iraqi state announcement was that PMU did not participate in Kirkuk. You are correct on this, on 19 December 2016, Iraqi President Fuad Masum approved a law passed by parliament in November that incorporated PMU into the country’s armed forces how ever they operate separately and jointly on different missions. With this incorporation, the PMU are now subject to the supreme commander of the national armed forces and will no longer be affiliated to any political or social group.
Brig-Gen Qassem Soleimani of IRGC Quds Force was observed in Erbil last Sunday where he met with KRG Pres Barzani to “discuss” the growing crisis, the latest indication of Iran’s surging influence in the region, and just days before Iraq sent in troops assisted by Iranian militia into Iraq’s Kurdish region, which promptly regained control over the oil-rich Kirkuk region. The KRG forces put up a small resistance but with the withdrawal of the PUK (Talabani) it was of no significance.
This may be why you are confused or rather your sources as you say on the ground. PUK is not in control of Kirkuk or even in the administration of Kirkuk so I am not sure of just why you said that. The Federal Police are in the command position as you said, that is correct.
The majority of Kirkuk city is Kurdish, so is the province. But Arabisation (which many people deny the reality of, for their own evil agendas against Kurds) altered the demographics of the city and Province. The Kurds have been oppressed since the establishment of Iraq.
I allow me to add that close to 400.000 kurds were deported from there to north of Mosul and the arabification was Sunni saddam supporters, where many afterwards has become ISIS.
Some Turkmen was deported too. I do not know their numbers – max 50.000 – to south og Bagdad.
If one does not assimilate in the country of residence problems occur. The influx of refugees to Europe whose culture and laws are different is an obvious example of this.
Difference between me and an ignorant person like yourself is, I have all my relative in Kirkuk. So sit your ass down.
‘Invading Iraqi/Iranian Forces…” Seriously, are you still spouting that US/Israeli rubbish? Iraq is reimposing control over its federal territories in wake of ISIS occupations – and Pershmerga are merely yet another heavily armed non-state faction trying to seize more land.
You are mistaken, in fact KRG is granted guaranteed autonomous authority over Its realms by and through the Iraqi Constitution. KRG Has its own Parliament & President.It is not a stateless government/militia.
Also there are about 30 foreign consulates and diplomatic mission in Erbil. So it does have some recognition, but not as independant of Iraq.
Russia and ExxonMobil etc have entered into oil and gas agreements directly with the KRG.
They are a part of the Iraqian Constitution.
The footage serves purpose of advertising the quality of the American M1 Abrams tanks.
Few, if any, tanks can survive a well placed hit by an atgm.
NATO gangs start fighting between themselves using NATO toys.
Overall the US makes some very high quality weapons. So does Europe.
Russian weapons are usually less expensive though, but sometimes affordability is a plus.
After the past 25 years of war in the Iraqi Region, the Kurds have probably built up a large stockpile of weapons.
And the KRG has about 150,000 troops, so trying to invade KRG with a few thousand PMU is a bad idea.
Now that KRG has pulled back and consent rated its forces, it is Possible we are going to see a counterattack whereby KRG retakes Kirkuk. If KDP doesn’t do it, then will PKK?
There is No Bonus for Iraq to try & occupy lands the Kurds have held for years. Also, It makes it difficult/impossible for Baghdad to make deals with other groups like the Sunni tribes in Anbar.
Abadi was telling everyone for days that Iraq was Not going to invade KRG. So he kinda lied.
Turks, Iranians and Syrians are also with knives at Kurds. Americans are about to make very hard decisions following the interest of their Zionist ally. Soon, they are to run into head-on collision not only with them but also Russians and likely Chinese. It seems saving of the American pulverising economy requires the destruction of human civilization – a disgusting prospect, indeed.
Not unusual for Kurds to be surrounded by enemies. That’s pretty apt description of past 100 years.
Obama tried to make a deal with Iran and betrayed US allies and US interests.
Obama was a weak, timid man.
To be at odds with all of your neighbors!?
It means Kurds have a problem with themselves. In fact, the real problem is easy to locate. As the Poles do in Europe by maintaining hostile behavior with Russians and Germans so do the Kurds to serve the interest of Anglo-Zionist empire that feeds on the policy “divide to rule”. The same story is about Albanians (that’s why the attempt to create Kosovo as a sovereign state) who are American ticking bomb that can put Europe into jeopardy at any time.
It’s a bottom line of the policy of the West to profit on creating calamities and misfortune. An old Arab saying runs, “If two fish in a crystal clear fountain bite each other an Englishman must be around.”
When the French & English created Iraq & Syria & Turkey from the remnants of the Ottoman Empire 100 years ago, the Kurds should have bend given thit in country.
The track record in the middle east for human rights treatment of minorities is abysmal, even into the modern era.
You ought to be able to live your enitire life withoutever having to fear someone is going to chop your head off, blow up your house, kill your sons, rape your wife and sell your daughter as a slave.
Well, I do agree, Kurds should’ve got their own country back then.
Yet, today, the situation is rather different. As you know, “It’s better to do bad than good things in wrong times.” I think they have to follow the policy, “A day at a time,” i.e., to wait a bit for suiting their dreams into the world.
PKK cannot take on, in an offensive way, neither Iraqi army nor PMU as they lack manpower and arms. Defensive positions is something else.
While KDP forces ran away, the PKK stood at its Makhmour strongpoint and PMU halted there. The same for the YBS in Shingal.
The myth of the tank – ongoing since 1916
Used properly, tanks can spearhead an armored assault.
The problem throughout the middle east is that tanks are often used as semi stationary artillery instead of being used for high mobility assaults; which makes them very vulnerable to atgm teams.
When there’s a critical fuel shortage a tank can be a helpless hunk of junk. Houthis use cigarette lighters to destroy Saudi tanks, they save their ATGMs for people.
So make a long line of better ones.Its very short.
… or vice versa.
Anglo-Zionist-self-proclaimed rulers of the Universe create 99% of the problems on this miraculous planet. That country of the USA epitomizes those malignant people who have been doing their best to enslave the world and reduce the last remnants of the purpose of human existence to void.
Have you ever even been to the United States?
Most people couldn’t find the middle east on a map and really have no interest whatsoever in events outside their daily lives.
The 1/2 the country that votes democrats are more worried about bathrooms than anything else.
Yeah, but the fact does not change anything on the hot ME ground.
Could be Allah made You first, You behaved bad, and You therefore has to be punished.
Thank you Jens (Stoltenberg :-)). I respect your sincerity.
@Southfront, please correct typo in headline. “German” and not “Gemran”.
Yes and iraq miltias that hate US use US equipment against kurds.
Better than to use gas. Or?
Iraq will unfortunately have to keep going even it’s casualties add up. While their sovereignty did at stake here there still no good chance Kurds prevailed. When Iraq losses become unacceptable the surrounding nation against kurd US backed secession will have to move.
Iraq is prohibited by the Iraqi Constitution form entering KRG.
Also the Coalition is apparently enforcing the No Fly Zone of Iraqi airplanes over KRG.
But who says the Iraqi government acts according to its own constitution?
They only measure their opponents acting against the constitution while they themselves disregard evrything that does not suit the Iraqi government.
Tank footage is old from Egypt .
traitors to their own country……Israeli puppets…..the enemy (isis) is just 20km away and they are destroying the army that has faced them …….
bork
Mmm the Barzani mafia is trying to save its skin it seems.