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Iraqi and Kurdish prime ministers discuss election tensions in Kirkuk

Tens of Kurdish residents of disputed Kirkuk were arrested and later released after celebrating the victory of Kurdish parties in the election.

Kurdish election
Supporters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party celebrate with KDP party flags during Iraq's parliamentary election in Arbil, the capital of the northern Iraqi Kurdish autonomous region, on Oct. 10. — SAFIN HAMED/AFP via Getty Images

The heads of the Kurdistan Region and federal governments in Iraq attempted on Wednesday to defuse election tensions in the disputed city of Kirkuk. 

On Monday night, tens of Kurdish youth in Kirkuk celebrated in the streets after the preliminary results from the Iraqi election were released. The Kurdish parties won six of the 12 seats in the city, which also has sizable Arab and Turkmen communities. Police accused the group of damaging property, and security forces allegedly dispatched a convoy of military trucks to break up the celebrations. They also arrested tens of Kurdish residents, the Kurdish news outlet Rudaw reported

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