Violence on Rise in Iraq’s Oil-Rich Kirkuk Area

Four months ago, Tuz Khormatu, a sleepy town 80 kilometers southeast of Kirkuk, became the new frontline between Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region and the central government.

Political tensions over oil rights have flared in this disputed area, which is as rich in fossil fuels as it is in diversity. Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, and Christians claim Kirkuk as their own.

Surging violence

Colonel Ismael Rasoul Mustafa - who is in charge of this outpost - has been a Kurdish guerrilla since 1986 when he fought for Kurdish independence from Iraq’s Ba’ath regime.

"We’re not here to stand against the central government, but we’re here to defend ourselves. If they attack us like they did before under the previous regime, we have to defend ourselves," said Mustafa.