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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Yazidi military commander said on Saturday that the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) disarming could facilitate implementation of a long-stalled agreement to restore security to the Shingal (Sinjar) area by removing a major point of contention - the presence of PKK-affiliated groups - that Baghdad has repeatedly cited to justify delays.
'It is imperative for Shingal-based groups that are close to the PKK to listen to [Ocalan's] call,' Haidar Shasho, commander of the Ezidkhan Protection Units, told Rudaw's Nalin Hassan, referring to a message from jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan that called on the group to disarm and disband.
Shasho said that around 1,500 fighters affiliated with the PKK remain in Shingal, operating under different banners but maintaining influence over local governance and security structures. He said the Iraqi government should not allow these groups to hold weapons.
The PKK gained a foothold in Shingal a decade ago when they fought against the Islamic State (ISIS). ISIS was declared militarily defeated in Iraq in 2017, but insecurity and lack of reconstruction have prevented many Yazidis from returning to their homes.
'There are groups in Sinjar that Baghdad points to as an excuse for delaying the normalization process. If these groups were to step aside, the situation could progress more smoothly,' Shasho explained.
Shasho's force is aligned with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Other armed groups in the area are part of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), in addition to those backed by the PKK who are occasionally the targets of Turkish airstrikes.
'The people of Sinjar have suffered enough. My message to these groups is to prioritize the interests of Sinjar and not sacrifice the future of our people for the benefit of others,' Shasho stated, warning that prolonged armed activity in the region could derail efforts to restore stability.
He said that implementing Ocalan's message of disarmament would remove key obstacles to executing the Shingal Agreement and argued that certain factions linked to the PKK are being used as justification for Baghdad's hesitance to follow through on the agreement.
The Shingal Agreement, brokered between Baghdad and Erbil in October 2020 with backing from the United Nations, aimed to remove non-state armed groups from the district and restore federal control, paving the way for the return of thousands of displaced Yazidis. However, implementation has been slow.
Shasho said that the Turkish government must respond to Ocalan's call for peace 'with a fair policy' toward the Kurds by promoting the notion of equal citizenship. He also urged Turkey to acquit Ocalan, adding that the 'major responsibility rests on the shoulders of the Turkish government and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to make a step and mold trust.'
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