From the Crisis Response Group:
One soldier was killed on 12 May during a clash between Kurdish- and Shia Arab-dominated army units near the mainly Shia Arab city of Balad, less than 45 miles (70km) north of the capital Baghdad.

The incident highlights deep ethnic and sectarian divisions in the Iraqi army and other local security forces. Recruitment to the army after 2003 was largely from existing militias, and loyalty to ethnic and sectarian groups, militias and commanders continues to override loyalty to the army as an institution. Efforts to establish mixed units have faced resistance and achieved success. The army is not immune to broader social and political developments, meaning a local fracturing along ethnic and sectarian lines would be likely in a crisis. These divisions are likely to persist at least for the remainder of the year, and should be taken into account in crisis management planning.

Kurds are overrepresented in the army, accounting for 40% of troops, against 20%-25% of the population as a whole. Shia Arabs, who constitute more than 50% of the total population, account for just over 30% of the army. The army is underpaid, under-equipped and in an uneven state of combat readiness. Political appointments and patronage networks also limit its development into a more efficient force.

Incident details

The incident was fuelled by language differences, loyalty to individual units and local Arab discontent about the presence of Kurdish soldiers. It took place after a roadside bomb killed four and injured several other soldiers from a mostly Kurdish army unit that was patrolling near Duluwiya, a Sunni Arab town near Balad. The soldiers rushed their injured comrades into Balad for medical treatment, firing their weapons to clear the streets and killing one civilian. They were confronted by an army unit made up mostly of Shia Arabs, possibly fearing retaliation against the local Arab population. The different sides had difficulty communicating in each other's language, and during the stand-off the Kurdish troops killed a Shia Arab soldier. A third Iraqi army unit set up a roadblock to prevent the Kurdish soldiers from leaving the town, but US intervention ended the confrontation.