Sadr stressed that “only the heroic Iraqi army, and no one else, should take charge there”.

According to Iraqi News he added that the Iraqi army’s control should “include every inch of the homeland, and not only the disputed regions”.

Iraq denied on Saturday reports that it was under pressures from the United States to allow the return of Kurdish forces to areas disputed by Baghdad and Kurdistan Region.

A statement by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s spokesperson, Saad al-Hadithi, reported by the New Arab, said that “The issue of the deployment of Iraqi forces in the northern and western territories is part of the responsibility of the government in Baghdad”. He added that the matter is “a sovereign, independent decision that is not subject to the will of foreign powers”.

He noted, however, that “coordination to counter dangers at the disputed regions is ongoing”.

Kurdistan’s Peshmerga Ministry also denied on Thursday news of the return of its troops to the disputed regions, stressing refusal of shadow agreements in that regard.

Reporter’s code: 50101