Iraqi federal forces and Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers began shelling each other on the southern outskirts of Kirkuk city early Monday, after Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi formally announced that he had ordered an operation to retake military bases and other “federal installations” in Kirkuk province. “Commander-in-Chief Haider al-Abadi has instructed Iraqi Army, Federal Police, CTS to secure bases and federal installations in Kirkuk province,” the Iraqi Government said on its official Twitter account. CTS refers to the Iraqi Army’s elite Counter-Terrorism Service. This content is for registered users. Please login to continue. If you are not a registered user, you may purchase a subscription or sign up for a free trial .