Kurdish forces in Northern Iraq are fortifying a makeshift border, to defend their territory against

(1 Jul 2014) AS RIVAL FACTIONS BATTLE OVER IRAQ, A NEW BORDER APPEARS TO BE FORMING IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY.
KURDISH FORCES ARE RUSHING TO FORTIFY THEIR TERRITORY, SO THEY CAN DEFEND IT AGAINST ISIL.
THAT'S THE GROUP THAT HAS TORN THROUGH MASSIVE AREAS OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN IRAQ IN HOPES OF CREATING ITS OWN INDEPENDENT ISLAMIC STATE.
KURDISH OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE TO SOLIDIFY THEIR HOLD ON THE DISPUTED TERRITORY, OR ISIL WILL.
SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Rebwar Talabani, Deputy Head of the Kirkuk
Provincial Council:
"Until now nothing has been built, but the border has been defined, that divides the sides that represent the gunmen, or the armed factions, including ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and Levant) and the other side, which is the river - that river is on the side of the Peshmerga on the border of the Kirkuk province."
KURDISH AND ISIL FORCES BOTH HAVE BARRIERS, MARKING WHERE TERRITORY BEGINS.
MOST WERE HASTILY BUILT OVER JUST THE PAST FEW DAYS.
IRAQI OFFICIALS SAY THE KURDS ARE TRYING TO USE THE BORDER CREATE THEIR OWN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY - KURDISTAN.
THEY SAY THIS EFFORT MUST STOP.
SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Rakan Ali, Arab deputy governor of Kirkuk:
"(they exploited) what was a reality - to make the territory become Kurdish - as you said. This for us not acceptable."
SOME LOCALS HAVE WELCOMED THE BARRIERS, PARTICULARLY CHRISTIANS, WHO SAY THEY WANT TO LIVE UNDER KURDISH RULE.
OTHERS IN DISPUTED AREAS ARE BEING MORE CAUTIOUS WITH THEIR OPINIONS.
CARLOTTA BRADLEY, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.

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