tuz khurmatu iraq eve historic referendum independence kurds across region celebrate young people honk horn shoot celebratory gunfire air major cities tuz khurmatu iraqi town 100,000 violently split among kurds shi ite turkmen oppose monday referendum hope referendum cancel say luay turkman shopkeeper tuz kurds take force turkmen arabs leave town part dispute territories ethnically mix areas northern iraq claim central government baghdad autonomous kurdish government north side try consolidate power town since u.s.-led invasion iraq 2003. kurdish officials insist throughout referendum campaign residents dispute territories include kurds arabs turkmen minorities would allow vote however sunday afternoon ballot box yet distribute throughout rundown town local kurdish officials attribute lack security force able help deploy safely plan make poll station neighborhoods say arslan ali local representative barzani kurdistan democratic party kdp push referendum make happen ali say unlikely since tuz khurmatu unmistakably split kurdish peshmerga force control kurdish half iran-backed shi ite paramilitary group pmf control turkmen neighborhoods let approach turkmen areas say mohammed mahdi al-bayati senior leader badr organization preeminent pmf force area want seize dispute territories let decision kurdish president massoud barzani include ethnically mix areas plebiscite widely interpret unilateral move consolidate kurdish control islamic state militants overrun one third iraq 2014 kurds seize moment take vast areas northern iraq leave vulnerable flee iraqi army peshmerga fighters move deep dispute territories include tuz khurmatu defend militants ignite shi ite turkmen fear subject kurdish rule though pmf-led turkmen work together push islamic state militants tuz khurmatu ultimately fragile coalition fell apart lead open hostilities referendum start crisis dispute territories al-bayati say organization base tuz khurmatu base since 2014. ask whether force would move prevent crisis al-bayati make veil reference loom violence conflict sure within 24 hours referendum walk turkmen neighborhood aksu solid-black flag flutter alongside banners shi ite iconography reminder somber month muharram area use house main market ethnic group use trade encase blast wall guard pmf fighters accord turkmen residents shopkeepers kurdish shop house burn force kurds move use like mix neighborhood say luay turkman shopkeeper kurds kill brother street five-minute drive away rival kurdish market tricolour kurdish flag fly high establish kurds afraid old market use lot turkmen arab friends say shalaw kurdish toyshop owner many turkmen since join pmf afraid cross city border go see kill like kurds interview market al-jumhuriyah shalaw lament tuz khurmatu split blame pmf arrival say vote independence monday badr leader al-bayati cynically say referendum suit group interest iraq kurds turks iranians whole arab region europe go live cage ethnically divide iraqi town fear fresh conflict kurds independence vote