kirkuk iraq kurdish peshmerga force retreat position hold northern iraq june 2014 response iraqi army advance region kurdish independence referendum senior iraqi commander say wednesday iraqi military statement say government force take control kurdish-held areas nineveh province include mosul hydro-electric dam tuesday peshmerga pull back monday baghdad force recapture major oil city kirkuk south shortly peshmerga abandon peshmerga advance nineveh kirkuk region past three years part war islamic state militants fill void leave temporary collapse iraqi army face onslaught today reverse clock back 2014 iraqi army commander ask identify tell reuters immediate comment kurdish leaders territory take peshmerga roll back islamic state outside official boundaries autonomous kurdish regional government krg mainly kurdish-populated areas claim historically kurds week withdrawals dispute territories peshmerga force appear re-deployed roughly along krg boundaries iran turkey join baghdad government condemn iraqi kurds sept. 25 referendum worry could worsen regional instability conflict encourage kurdish populations push homelands referendum give iraqi prime minister haider al-abadi political open regain contest land shift balance power favor may prove gamble make krg quest statehood elusive around 61,200 people displace iraq military operation around kirkuk city million past 48 hours return home u.n. humanitarian affairs office baghdad say witness say however dozens kurdish families begin flee kirkuk wednesday sulaimaniya inside krg fear attack shi ite popular mobilization paramilitaries ally baghdad arm iran enter city along government force family member peshmerga afraid might get arrest popular mobilization flee towards sulaimaniya say driver one car fill family least 150 vehicles see stream kirkuk one point subsequently turn around return home local police assure fear reprisals groundless reuters reporter say though kurdish-owned shop kirkuk mainly close wednesday due concern presence shi ite militia report serious incidents federal security force patrol streets witness say call party everything possible shield protect civilians impact current situation lisa grande u.n. humanitarian coordinator iraq say abadi order prosecution anyone find circulate fake videos aim incite strife kurds arabs endanger civil peace areas retake baghdad force kurdish vote champion krg president kdp party chief masoud barzani support rival puk party part strong opposition kurds longtime ally unite state unite state side abadi shi ite-led government reject kurds secessionist move barzani stand say overwhelm yes independence vain would pursue peaceful mean kurds seek independent state since least end world war one colonial power divide middle east multi-ethnic ottoman empire fell apart leave kurdish-populated land split turkey iran iraq syria kurdish force withdraw june 2014 line iraqi army commander