Coalition says no Iraq-Kurds cease-fire reached

BAGHDAD – The spokesperson for the U.S.-led Coalition says he incorrectly announced a cease-fire has been reached between the Iraqi central government and the country’s Kurdish minority.

Col. Ryan Dillon says while talks are ongoing and clashes had temporarily ceased, an official cease-fire had not been declared Friday.

Escalating tensions between Irbil and Baghdad erupted into violence earlier this month following a controversial referendum on independence held by the Kurds in September.

Clashes broke out when federal forces retook the disputed city of Kirkuk and other areas outside the autonomous Kurdish region that the Kurds had seized from the Islamic State group.

IS conquered those areas after sweeping across the country in 2014. Most of the Kurdish forces withdrew without a fight, but reports of low-level clashes continued and tensions remained.