WASHINGTON \u2014 The U.S. may consider halting its massive train-and-equip program for Iraqi forces if the Iraqi military continues its offensive against Iraqi Kurds in northern Iraq, a defense official said Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the weekend U.S.-equipped Iraqi forces entered Kirkuk, an oil-rich, Kurdish-controlled city, in response to the Kurdish region\u2019s independence vote on Sept. 25. Several exchanges of gunfire were reported Monday as Iraqi forces took over Kurdish-controlled buildings and facilities in Kirkuk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The U.S.-led task force in command of operations in Iraq and Syria issued a statement Monday that urged all sides to avoid escalations, but downplayed the movement of Iraqi military vehicles into Kirkuk as \u201ccoordinated movements, not attacks,\u201d and called the predawn gunfire \u201ca misunderstanding and not deliberate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Iraqi Embassy in Washington also issued a statement saying Baghdad\u2019s deployment of federal security forces in Kirkuk \u201cis a legal and constitutional measure taken in coordination with the local security forces.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Baghdad said it is \u201cavoiding any clashes in restoring federal authority and strives to prevent the outbreak of violence\u201d and warned of \u201cill-intentions by party militias outside the Kirkuk security structure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Rob Manning said no U.S. forces were involved in the operation in Kirkuk, however U.S. advisers were \u201cin the vicinity,\u201d as they have been for months, to assist Iraq\u2019s fight against the Islamic State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Manning said U.S. commanders in Iraq are working with both Iraqi and Kurdish forces to try to get to return to a dialogue. However if Iraqi forces do not cease the offensive, one possibility could be ceasing the equipment and training support the U.S. has provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going to speculate on that, but I\u2019ll tell you we\u2019re looking at all options,\u201d Manning said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t