From the article:
“PUK authorities agreed with Iraqi authorities over Kirkuk.”
“Rizgar Eli, PUK official for Hewler, will be Kirkuk’s new governor.”
No doubt that Kurdish internal political competition will be part of this conflict - including trying to tar opponents with the blame (e.g. blaming the KDP referendum). The referendum may have triggered or enabled the Turkish/Iranian agreement, but Iran and Iraq strongly wanted Kirkuk anyhow. Everyone is trying to consolidate gains while they have their militias mobilized, and before the final lines settle out after the war.
ISIS systematically assassinated pro-US Sunnis during their reign. Iran (under the cover of the Iraqi Government) would like to do the same thing in the Kurdish areas to get rid of pro-US Kurds.
I hope that this turnover of Kirkuk was a diplomatic agreement, and not simply our opponents catching us unaware, and seizing strategic assets by force.
I would guess that Turkey’s involvement was mainly agreeing to withhold support from the Kurds, while Iranian surrogates and Baghdad seized Kirkuk, and its oil. It is probably likely that Turkey does not want the Iranians to fully win, but rather just take enough to keep the Kurds from winning their Independence, and force the Iraqi Kurds into Turkey’s arms for protection.
Unless the US supports the Kurds (in a difficult and expensive Berlin airlift mode), only Turkey could supply them in a fight against Iraq/Iran.
This is very fluid.
Since I posted this, there have been some changes that had not transferred down the information channels.
My understanding is 20-24 hours ago, there was another major shift. Peshmerga began to react and forced the PMF out of all disputed areas.
PKK have stayed in Kirkuk the entire time. There were some extreme abuses by the Iranian PMF. They also lost a number of pieces of equipment and crews.
The public and both political elements in KRG have been unified again and I think the immediate crisis is over.
Iran was in control for a while.
From what I read the YPG and YPJ took back Shingal then it was given back to Peshmerga.
Now, a good assessment must take place and Iran and Turkey made to back away from the abyss. Also it must be impressed on Baghdad that this will not happen again.
It was a long night over there last night.