Key Takeaway: A collapse of the Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga under joint pressure from Iraq and Iran shortly after...

Iraq and Iran compel Kurdish withdrawal from Kirkuk by: Omer Kassim, the ISW Iraq Team, and Jennifer Cafarella Key Takeaway: A collapse of the Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga under joint pressure from Iraq and Iran shortly after the Kurdish independence referendum on September 25, 2017 empowers Iran and could destabilize northern Iraq rather than unify the county. Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces withdrew from disputed areas across northern Iraq on October 16th and 17th, 2017. A combined force of Iraqi Security Forces and Iranian proxies gathered south of Kirkuk starting on October 13th in order to compel Iraqi Kurdistan to relinquish control of the oil-rich city. The combined ISF-proxy force moved in to secure the city as well as nearby military bases and oil fields on October 16th after the Peshmerga abandoned their positions. Peshmerga forces also withdrew from areas in Ninewa, Salah al Din, and Diyala Provinces. The Iraqi Government and Iran likely signaled their intent to use military force to compel the Peshmerga withdrawals in those provinces, if necessary. The Kurdish retreat is a win for both the central Iraqi government and Iran, whose proxies have seized new key terrain and consolidated control over previously contested cities. Iran has downplayed the role of its proxies in order to legitimize them as instruments of the Iraqi state. Western media coverage and statements from US officials have assisted Iran with this deception by denying the role of Iran's proxies in Kirkuk. Kurdish populations now under the control of the Iraqi government and Iran's proxies may drive an insurgency, however. Civil unrest against Iraqi forces and Iran's proxies began in Kirkuk and Khanaqin on October 18th. Prime minister Abadi reportedly ordered a handover of security in Kirkuk to local police, and early reports indicate Iraqi forces and Iran's proxies may have drawn back from Khanaqin in northern Diyala. It is unclear whether these withdrawals will pacify the Kurdish population. See the map online

Weekly InSight | October 20 2017

Weekly InSight | October 20 2017 A Honduras Political Clan and Its Criminal Fiefdom This is the second of a three part series on mayors and organized crime in the Northern Triangle. News Analysis 'Organized Crime Permeates Society' in Honduras: Presidential Advisor A presidential advisor in Honduras has no qualms about saying that the links between criminals and candidates encompass all political parties. Read More Is Colombia Underestimating the Scale of FARC Dissidence? Why It's So Hard to Leave El Salvador's Gangs: An Interview With José Miguel Cruz News US Sanctions Loom as Battle Over Guatemala Anti-Graft Efforts Continues Weekly InSight: The Urbina Soto Family Fiefdom in Honduras Mexico AG Resigns Amid Growing Pressure to Tackle Widespread Graft El Salvador Fugitive Tycoon Hiding Out in Switzerland: Report Police Corruption Scandals Hit Well-Regarded Forces in Ecuador, Chile The Big Winner in Venezuela Elections? Organized Crime US-Canada Border Arrest Shows Varied Human Smuggling Routes Another Honduras Narco Negotiates Plea Deal With US Venezuela Prison Shootout With Police Shows Criminal Control More News Facebook Live In our #WeeklyInSight broadcast, Steven Dudley and Deborah Bonello discussed the second of a three part series on mayors and organized crime in the Northern Triangle. Multimedia We take a look at whether or not Colombia is underestimating the scale of FARC dissidence.

Quote of the Day: "When all else is lost, the future still remains." - Christian Nestell Bovee

Quote of the Day: "When all else is lost, the future still remains." - Christian Nestell Bovee
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October 19, 2017 at 01:04AM
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Quote of the Day: "To be free is to have achieved your life." - Tennessee Williams

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Quote of the Day: "They're only truly great who are truly good." - George Chapman

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Quote of the Day: "With renunciation life begins." - Amelia Barr

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Quote of the Day: "The absence of alternatives clears the mind marvelously." - Henry Kissinger

Quote of the Day: "The absence of alternatives clears the mind marvelously." - Henry Kissinger
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