Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani arrived in the city of Kirkuk on Feb. 17 to show a united peshmerga front against the Islamic State. However, upon his arrival in Kirkuk, Barzani declared that only the Kurdish peshmerga will be allowed in the province, and that Kirkuk belongs to Kurdistan. His declaration was directed squarely at the Shiite militias that, after successfully beating back Islamic State positions in Diyala province, have been creeping north along the border with the Kurdistan region toward Islamic State positions in Kirkuk province. The Islamic State is positioned in the northern and western portion of Kirkuk province, while Shiite militias are encroaching into southern Kirkuk.