Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) began withdrawing from the Garmiyan region near Sulaymaniyah after their deployment sparked tensions over control of the strategic Gilabat-Qumre oil field on Sunday. Earlier in the day, hundreds of heavily armed PMF vehicles entered the Kulejo area, escalating fears of a potential conflict with Kurdish forces over the resource-rich territory.
Local sources confirmed that the PMF forces had initially moved into Garmiyan to seize control of the oil field, which is currently under the protection of Iraq’s Federal Police. However, by the afternoon, reports emerged that the PMF had started to pull back, though the extent of the withdrawal remains uncertain.
A Peshmerga commander verified the PMF’s intentions to control the oil field, but with their partial withdrawal, the situation remains fluid. The PMF’s actions underscore the ongoing struggle for dominance over Iraq’s disputed territories, particularly those with significant resources, such as Garmiyan and Kirkuk.
