Operation Featherweight: Month 39, Week 5, Day 2.

In the summer of 2014 the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) overran northern Iraq.

The eastern part of northern Iraq is dominated by the Iraqi Kurdish Region. Populated primarily by members of the Kurdish ethnic group this has its own Parliament and its own government. It also has its own security force known as the Peshmerga.

Immediately following the arrival of ISIL the Peshmerga were dispatched to the city of Kirkuk. This sits around 95km (60 miles) south of Erbil - the capital of the Iraqi Kurdish Region - and around 50km (30 miles) outside of the Kurdish Region.

In November 2015 the Peshmerga reached the now infamous town of Sinjar/Shingal. When ISIL first swept into this town it was scene to the genocide of Kurdish residents of the town who follow the Yezidi faith which triggered the international fight against ISIL. It is located around 250km (150 miles) west of Erbil and around 130km (80 miles) outside of the Iraqi Kurdish Region.

In October 2017 an operation was launched to liberate the city of Mosul from ISIL. This is located around 200km (120 miles) west of Erbil and around 45km (25 miles) outside of the Iraqi Kurdish Region.

The operation to liberate Mosul was primarily carried out by the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF). However the Peshmerga did perform a supporting role securing the outskirts to the city.

To the north this saw the Peshmerga take up positions at the town Tal Kayf. This sits 8km (5 miles) north of Mosul and around 50km (30 miles) outside of the Iraqi Kurdish Region.

To the east the Peshmerga took up positions at the twin towns of Bashiqa & Barzani. These sit around 12km (7 miles) east of Mosul and around 30km (15 miles) outside of the Iraqi Kurdish Region.

To the south the Peshmerga took up positions at the town of Makhmur. This sits around 70km (40 miles) south of Mosul and around 50km (30 miles) outside of the Iraqi Kurdish Region.

On July 9th 2017 (9/6/17) Mosul was finally liberated from ISIL.

The ISF's next task was to liberate an area known as the; "Hawija Triangle." Centred around the town of Hawija this sits around 100km (60 miles) south of Erbil. It's three corners are made up of Tikrit, Baiji and Kirkuk.

By October 5th (5/10/17) the Hawija Triangle was all but liberated. The remaining task was for the ISF to take control of the Kirkuk oilfields. This would involve the Peshmerga returning positions in and around Kirkuk - specifically the K1 Base complex - to the ISF.

The problem though has been President of the Iraqi Kurdish Region Masoud Barzani. Along with his son Nechirvan Barzani whom he's appointed Prime Minister Masoud Barzani has gotten this mad idea into his head.

The Barzanis think that if they can seize Kirkuk's oil fields he can export that oil through a pipeline to Turkey. They can then use the proceeds from this stolen oil to declare the Iraqi Kurdish Region to be an independent nation state. One which the Barzani family runs as a dynasty.

While the ISF have spent the last year fighting ISIL the Barzanis have spent their time trying to put this pipedream into reality. To this end they held a vote on September 25th (25/9/17). By both international and domestic Iraqi and Kurdish Region law this vote fell far short of the independence referendum the Barzanis proclaim it to be.

The Barzanis' pipedream though has led to them refusing to negotiate the transfer of positions outside of the Iraqi Kurdish Region from the Peshmerga back to the ISF.

So on Friday (13/10/17) the Iraqi government government was forced to give the Peshmerga an ultimatum. They had until 00:00 (02:00 local) on Sunday (15/10/17) to vacate their positions at Kirkuk's oil fields and hand them back to the ISF.

The Barzanis though refused and ordered the Peshmerga to fight the ISF for control of the oil fields.

The October 15th (15/10/17) deadline came and went. The Iraqi government's response was to wait a further 24 hours to give the Barzanis time to consider their position and negotiate.

The Barzanis refused so at 00:00 (02:00 local) on Monday (16/10/17) the ISF moved in to secure Kirkuk's oil fields.

Fortunately the majority of the Peshmerga refused the Barzanis illegal order to fight the ISF and instead peacefully handed over their positions. The exception seems to have been a rogue Peshmerga unit led by Sheikh Jaafar Mustafa. They attempted to fight the ISF but were either killed or captured by their fellow Peshmerga.

As a result the ISF were able to secure the K1 Base complex which controls access to Kirkuk's oil fields on Monday (16/10/17) afternoon. By the evening the ISF were able to take control of Kirkuk itself as local residents rejected the Barzanis calls for them to come out and fight the ISF.

This morning the Peshmerga peacefully handed over their positions at Sinjar/Shingal to the ISF. They also peacefully handed over their positions at Bashiqa & Barzani.

It is expected that they will equally peacefully return their positions around Makhmur to the ISF either tonight or tomorrow.

17:05 on 17/10/17 (UK date).