People gather on the road as they welcome Iraqi security forces members, who continue to advance in military vehicles in Kirkuk, Iraq October 17, 2017. REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - About 100,000 Kurds have fled Kirkuk, fearing unrest, since Monday’s takeover of the region by Iraqi forces, officials from the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) said on Thursday.

About 18,000 families have taken shelter in the cities of Erbil and Sulaimaniya, the governor of Erbil Nawzad Hadi told reporters. One of his aides told Reuters the total number of people was about 100,000.