Residents told Reuters that Baghdad forces removed the Kurdish flag that was hoisted on the governorate building in April next to an Iraqi flag. They said that only the Iraqi flag was flying.
Clashes were reported earlier in the day south of Kirkuk as thousands of residents were reportedly fleeing the Kurdish-controlled city.
Earlier, the Baghdad Army said its troops had moved toward Kurdish-held sites in the northern province of Kirkuk, capturing several installations from Kurdish fighters.
The military said on October 16 that pro-Baghdad forces took control of roads and infrastructure, including a military base, an airport, and an oil field near the city of Kirkuk.
A spokesman for Kurdish forces, Brigadier General Bahzad Ahmad, confirmed that federal forces seized industrial areas south of Kirkuk in fighting that caused "lots of casualties."
Kurdish Peshmerga forces took control of much of Kirkuk Province in 2014, when militants from ISIS swept across northern Iraq.
Kurdish officials said residents voted overwhelmingly for independence in the referendum, which Baghdad denounced as illegal.
Crisis talks on October 15 failed to resolve the standoff as Kurdish leaders refused demands by the Baghdad government to reject the referendum result.
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