“We are alarmed by a significant Iraqi military buildup in the vicinity of Makhmour, south west of Erbil, in preparation for an attack on nearby Peshmerga positions,” KRSC said in a statement.

According to NRT the council added that intelligence information showed that the Iraqi army, federal police, Hashid al-Shaabi and other Iraqi forces are deploying troops to attack the Gwer-Dibege-Dibis road connecting Mosul to Kirkuk.

The KRSC urged the Iraqi government to halt “its provocative military advances” which it says is a violation of the Iraqi constitution.

It also calls on the international community to ask the government of Iraq to accept the region’s calls for dialogue to resolve the issues.

The Kurdish forces withdrew from Makhmour in mid-October to the current position to avoid clashes with the Iraqi forces, the statement read.

In mid-October, Iraqi forces along with Hashid al-Shaabi launched an operation to take control of the disputed areas from the Kurdish forces in the wake of September 25th independence referendum.

Reporter’s code: 50101