Kurdish leaders accused Baghdad of not handing over its fair share of oil payouts to the semi-autonomous region. They claim they have not received any payments since last May and the regional government is owed over $1 billion. It they do not receive payments soon, they threaten to reduce or cease oil production altogether. The statement on their website further complained of disappearing oil, alluding to possible corruption in the state-run oil company.
Separately, Iraqi Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani called the central government’s leaders "vindictive failures." He further said the regional government will not hand over Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, who fled there to avoid what Hashemi called a "political vendetta."
Meanwhile, at least 10 Iraqis were killed and 10 more were wounded in new violence.
In Mosul, gunmen killed two policemen outside a clinic. A woman was killed in crossfire between police and gunmen. Gunmen killed a policeman. In I.E.D. blast targeted a colonel but failed to harm anyone.
A homemade bomb exploded in Hoswa, killing one person and wounding three others.
A body was found in Tikrit. The victim had been tortured and blindfolded before being shot dead and buried.
In Shirqat, one Sahwa member was killed and two others were wounded when an I.E.D. exploded.
Three people were wounded during a blast in Washash.
A bomb wounded two civilians in Haditha.
Three suspects were killed during an operation in Tal Afar.
The families of 27 Turkish workers in Iraq have not heard from the group in weeks and now fear they may be in jail and unable to contact them.
