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SULAIMANI – A member for the leadership of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Khalid Shwani said on Wednesday (July 18) that the Turkish government has provided 600 members of the Turkmen front with weapons in Kirkuk.

Shwani told NRT that his party has evidence which it submitted to the Iraqi intelligence agencies, in an effort to prove the arming of Turkmen front by Turkey.

He added that the armed Turkmen force have received training about how to use the weapons and the military equipment they have been provided with.

According to Shwani, the 600-member-force is divided into several smaller groups and is present in the city of Kirkuk.

“The Iraqi government has been informed about this matter with evidence, but it remained silent due to the political influence it has imposed on Kirkuk,” he added.

Shwani also expressed concerns that this will create a threat on Iraq’s national security and urged that those involved be brought to justice.

The security situation in the Kirkuk province has deteriorated since Iraqi forces alongside Hashid al-Shaabi retook the disputed areas including Kirkuk from the Kurdish forces last October.

(NRT)