Al-Sudani also ordered the postponement of handing over the dominant headquarters of the Iraqi army in Kirkuk governorate to the Peshmerga forces of the Kurdistan Democratic Party until further notice.
A curfew was also imposed in the city, while the Iraqi Army Chief of Staff met with local security leaders to discuss how to contain the tension.
He stressed that the security forces will arrest anyone who tampers with the security of Kirkuk or who has weapons.
Kirkuk witnessed a tumultuous night, as violent clashes erupted between Kurdish demonstrators and security forces, when protesters went to the headquarters of the Joint Operations Command to demand an end to the sit-in organized by a number of people who reject the return of the KDP to its headquarters in Kirkuk.
According to the demonstrators, this sit-in caused the blocking of a public road linking Kirkuk and Erbil.
But the events developed quickly, and violence broke out between the protesters on both sides, prompting the police to fire shots in the air to disperse the crowds of demonstrators.
The clashes resulted in one dead and 10 wounded.
Al-Sudani also called on all political parties and social and popular actors to take their role in maintaining security, stability and order in Kirkuk Governorate.
Commenting on these events, the head of the Kurdish Democratic Party, Massoud Barazani, warned of the continued escalation of the situation, denouncing the police’s use of force against the demonstrators.
For his part, the President of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq, Masrour Barazani, considered that these improper and illegal practices in Kirkuk are an attempt to stir up discord and destroy coexistence.
As for the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, led by Pavel Talabani, he stressed that the time has come for the Prime Minister to intervene directly to eradicate the problem from its roots, in coordination with the local government, army forces and the crowd in the city.
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