LOC12:51
09:51 GMT
IRBIL, Sept 19 (KUNA) -- A curfew, imposed in Kirkuk for only a few hours amid violence due to Kurdistan region's plans for a secession referendum, was lifted on Tuesday, authorities said.
The security situation is now stable, a source from Kirkuk's provincial council told KUNA. Life is back to normal as state offices are running again and traffic has resumed, he said.
Earlier, police said they had closed off the city's exits, and imposed a curfew.
The measures were taken in fears of further violence after a man fired shots at people celebrating the upcoming Kurdish vote, killing one person and injuring another three.
Kirkuk and several others that are currently under dispute between Kurdistan and the central Baghdad government are currently under the control of Kurdish Pershmerga forces after the Iraqi army lost the areas to Islamic State fighters in 2014.
The city, located in the disputed oil-rich province of the same name, is inhabited by a mixture of Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen and Christians. (pickup previous)
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