Latest news with #ShingalAgreement
Rudaw Net
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Iraqi PM approves Kurdish farmers' demands in Sargaran: Farmers spox
Also in Iraq Kurdish military judge warns against 'desertion' of Yazidi Peshmerga fighters Iran cuts Diyala province electricity: Local official Iraq introduces electronic entry visas for select nations Disarming PKK could ease implementation of Shingal Agreement: Yazidi commander A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Sunday addressed land disputes in the Sargaran subdistrict northwest of Kirkuk, approving solutions that allow Kurdish farmers to cultivate their lands, which had previously been confiscated, a representative of the Sargaran farmers told Rudaw. The decision reportedly comes after farmers 'presented a range of possible solutions to address the ongoing [land] disputes,' Mohammed Amin said, adding that Sudani approved their demands. Tensions in Sargaran escalated in mid-February when Iraqi security forces forcefully barred Kurdish farmers from accessing their lands, which had been seized during the Baath era and given to Arab settlers. The move was seemingly geared to alter the demographic makeup in disputed regions, namely oil-rich Kirkuk. Raw footage from the incident, filmed by Rudaw, showed Iraqi army and anti-riot forces clashing with civilians from Sargaran's Shanagha village as they tried to enter their farmland. The video, which has since gone viral, also depicted an Iraqi security officer trying to forcibly remove Amin from his tractor. The crackdown on farmers drew sharp reactions from officials in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, prompting Sudani to task a special committee with probing the incident. On Sunday, Iraqi Justice Minister Khalid Shwani received Amin and informed him that Sudani endorsed the recommendations of the special committee. 'Our issues have been resolved and we can start cultivating our lands,' Amin told Rudaw after the meeting. The Iraqi presidency in mid-February ratified the land restitution law aimed at returning lands confiscated under the Baath regime to their original owners. The law pertains to 300,000 dunams of land belonging to Kurdish and Turkmen owners in Kirkuk and other disputed areas. The Sargaran subdistrict includes 42 villages, five of which are at the center of the dispute. These villages are Shanagha, Pelkana, Sarbashakh, Gabaraka, and Kharaba. Iraq's Second Deputy of the Parliament Speaker, Shakhawan Abdullah, confirmed to Rudaw in mid-February that following the presidency's ratification, the land restitution law is set to be implemented imminently as 'there are no longer any obstacles to its implementation.'
Rudaw Net
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Kurdish military judge warns against 'desertion' of Yazidi Peshmerga fighters
Also in Iraq Iran cuts Diyala province electricity: Local official Iraq introduces electronic entry visas for select nations Disarming PKK could ease implementation of Shingal Agreement: Yazidi commander Baghdad builds Shingal irrigation project to revive farmland, create jobs A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Some members of an all-Yazidi brigade of Peshmerga forces announced on Saturday that they had "resigned" from their brigade and announced their plan to join the Iraqi army. However, a Kurdish military judge warned on Sunday that the move is illegal, adding that it could harm Erbil-Baghdad relations. A representative of the deserted Peshmerga fighters, who were part of the Shingal (Sinjar) brigade - an affiliate of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) - on Saturday told journalists in Baghdad that they 'resigned' from their military duties 'within the borders of the Kurdistan Region' and from 'all military and partisan ties binding us' to Erbil. They claimed the move was in rejection of the Kurdistan Region's policies against the Yazidis and the 'exploitation of their suffering for political gains.' Kurdawan Naqshbandi, a Kurdish military court judge, told Rudaw on Sunday that if these Peshmerga fighters answer to Iraq, it would be considered 'defection,' adding that it will also be a 'violation of military discipline.' 'If the Iraqi army accepts their defection, it will create a new point of contention with the Kurdistan Region,' Naqshbandi warned, urging relevant authorities in Baghdad to handle the situation responsibly. The Kurdish and Iraqi governments have yet to comment on the matter. Naqshbandi further clarified that Peshmerga forces joining the Iraqi army without the official approval of Erbil is illegal and that such a move is illegal. According to the military laws in the Kurdistan Region, those who defect will face trial in the military court under Article 48 of the Military Penal Code. The brigade claimed that they consist of over a thousand fighters, including high-ranking officers, but their commander told Rudaw that their number is less than 200 fighters and do not include senior officers. 'The number they announced, claiming it to be 1,200 people, has no basis and they are not even 200,' Qasim Shasho said. He noted that the brigade consists of around 8,000 members and will continue to fulfill their duty. Shasho said a number of the deserted fighters have returned to the brigade. Shasho's brigade was formed after the Islamic State (ISIS) attacked the Yazidi heartland of Shingal (Sinjar) in 2014, killing and kidnapping a large number of its residents. The presence of a variety of armed groups in Shingal has hindered the return of its people who fled the town during the ISIS attack.
Rudaw Net
02-03-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Iran cuts Diyala province electricity: Local official
Also in Iraq Iraq introduces electronic entry visas for select nations Disarming PKK could ease implementation of Shingal Agreement: Yazidi commander Baghdad builds Shingal irrigation project to revive farmland, create jobs Baghdad invites Kurdistan oil producers, KRG for talks A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran cut around half of the electricity it provides to Iraq's eastern province of Diyala on Saturday for unknown reasons, causing a partial blackout, a local official said. 'More than 300 megawatts of electricity have been reduced in Diyala. This shortage has severely impacted the electricity situation in the eastern, northern, and northeastern areas of the province,' Aws al-Mahdawi, a member of the Diyala Provincial Council told Rudaw on Sunday. Regarding the cause of the power cut, Mahdawi stated that the reason is still unclear, and they are awaiting clarification from the Iranian side. He mentioned, 'It could be a technical issue or related to re-programming codes.' The Iranian authorities have yet to comment on the issue. The Mirsad power line has been disrupted multiple times in the past. During Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani's visit to Tehran in early January, Iraqi Electricity Minister Ziyad Ali Fadhil announced that 625 megawatts of electricity would be restored through the Mirsad, Karkha, and Siril lines as part of discussions with Iranian officials. Iraqi areas bordering Iran partially rely on Iranian electricity. Iraq is also heavily dependent on gas imports from the neighboring country to prop up its production of electricity. Washington has repeatedly renewed a four-month waiver to Baghdad in a bid to help the country provide sufficient electricity to its people. The waivers help Iraq bypass existing US sanctions on Iranian exports and are intended to act only as a short-term stopgap until Iraq is able to wean itself off of Iran for its energy needs. The US government in summer extended its sanctions waiver for Iraq to purchase electricity from Iran for another 120 days, which is expiring soon.
Rudaw Net
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Disarming PKK could ease implementation of Shingal Agreement: Yazidi commander
Also in Iraq Baghdad builds Shingal irrigation project to revive farmland, create jobs Baghdad invites Kurdistan oil producers, KRG for talks PUK and KDP seek greater foothold in Baghdad, says Kurdish MP 95% fish, 30% buffalos in Iraq's marshes are lost: NGO A+ A- 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.'
