Kurdish guards harassed in Parliament

BAGHDAD, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Kurdish forces tasked with protecting the Iraqi Parliament building were harassed by guards belonging to the prime minister, a Kurdish media outlet said.

The security force charged by the Defense Ministry to protect Parliament entered into a skirmish during the weekend with 35 members of the guards for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The parliamentary force, which contains Kurdish members, tried to stop Maliki's guards from entering the building because only a set number of protective forces are allowed in, the Kurdish Globe reported.

The Globe said another 400 guards came to the aid of Maliki's security force, forcing Kurdish elements of the parliamentary force out of the building.

"This is the second time Maliki's guards (repeated) this act," the newspaper said, citing anonymous sources. "On the day of voting on the security agreement, all of them tried to get in but were not allowed."

Iraqi Speaker of Parliament Mahmoud Mashhadani is said to be conducting an investigation into the incident, and Kurdish forces have set conditions on their return to duty.

"We will not go back to Parliament until our authority is enhanced and Maliki's guards are punished," an unnamed Kurdish soldier told the Globe.