US President Donald Trump has said his country is not taking sides in the Iraqi government's seizure of the Kurdish-held city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq. <br/><br/>Talking to reporters at the White House, President Trump said that the US does not like Iraqi and Kurdish troops clashing. <br/><br/>Meanwhile, State Department said in a statement that the US is very concerned by reports of violence around Kirkuk and is working with officials to calm the situation. <br/><br/>State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said US support the peaceful exercise of joint administration by the central and regional governments, consistent with the Iraqi constitution, in all disputed areas and urged all parties to avoid further clashes. <br/><br/>The statement also said that continued tensions between Iraqi and Kurdish forces distract from the vital mission of defeating the Islamic State militant group in Iraq.<br/><br/>Iraqi troops announced that yesterday they had taken over oil fields, a Kurdish military base and the city of Kirkuk.