- Source: Battle of Pirde
The Battle of Pirde was a minor military confrontation between the Peshmerga and the Popular Mobilization Forces during the 2017 Iraqi–Kurdish conflict. It was the first military confrontation between both sides since the Battle of Kirkuk (2017).
Background
The battle first started when Hashd al-Shaabi soldiers captured Kirkuk and made an attempt at capturing Erbil.
The battle
The fighting began at 7:00 in the morning on the Erbil-to-Kirkuk road near the village of Pirde, when Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service began to mortar Kurdish units. An apparent 81-millimeter mortar exploded not far from a group of Kurdish generals standing outside a command post.
The battle ended with a Peshmerga victory as the Popular Mobilization Forces were denied the chance to capture Erbil, despite Iraqi forces capturing Kirkuk and other strategic areas.
