Latest news with #all-Yazidi
Rudaw Net
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
YBS slams Iraqi army for labeling their fighters 'terrorists'
Also in Iraq ISIS suicide bomber detonates near army position in north Iraq Iraqi army arrests five after clashes with PKK-affiliated group in Shingal Tensions between Iraqi army, PKK-affiliated force continue in Shingal Cancer hospital to be opened in Mosul A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Shingal Resistance Units (YBS) on Thursday condemned the Iraqi army for labeling its captured fighters as 'terrorists and mercenaries' following an altercation in Shingal earlier this week. The group called for the immediate release of its members, accusing Iraqi forces of abuse. Four Iraqi soldiers were injured after clashes with an armed group affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Nineveh province's Shingal (Sinjar) on Tuesday. The clashes resulted in several injuries on both sides, Sherwan Dubardani, a Kurdish lawmaker from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Nineveh province, told Rudaw. The Shingal Resistance Units (YBS), an all-Yazidi force widely seen as an offshoot of the PKK, issued a statement on Thursday claiming that the Iraqi army targeted one of their vehicles in Shingal, leading to injuries among their fighters. 'The attack resulted in the capture of five of our comrades, some of whom were wounded, abused, beaten, with the incident being filmed and published. Their fate remains unknown until now,' read a statement from the YBS. It slammed statements from the Iraqi army leadership labeling their captured fighters as "terrorists and mercenaries." 'Some statements issued by the army leadership describing our captured comrades as terrorists and mercenaries are unacceptable, and we categorically reject them,' the YBS stressed. 'Everyone knows that the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS) are the force that defended and liberated Sinjar from ISIS [Islamic State] mercenaries, and it is the force that took over the protection of Sinjar's security afterward,' the group added. YBS has controlled parts of Shingal since ISIS was defeated in the town but the presence of the force and several other forces in the district has been blamed for insecurity which has prevented thousands of its residents who fled due to the war on ISIS from returning. 'We demand the immediate release of our comrades,' the YBS said. Shingal remains a volatile region with multiple armed groups present, including those affiliated with the PKK, the Iraqi government, and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Ongoing security issues and a lack of basic services have prevented many displaced Yazidis from returning to their homes. This is not the first time clashes have erupted between the Iraqi army and the YBS. In May 2022, a deadly altercation broke out over control of the town. Tensions were also high in March 2019. The YBS was formed in 2007, but its role became more prominent after ISIS attacked the Yazidi heartland of Shingal in 2014, carrying out massacres against the ethnoreligious minority. With the help of PKK fighters, who descended from the Kurdistan Region's mountainous areas, the YBS was able to control large swathes of land in Shingal. Despite opposition from Baghdad and sporadic attacks by Ankara—which considers it an offshoot of the PKK—the YBS remains one of the dominant forces in the area. The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, has been engaged in a decades-long conflict with Ankara, resulting in over 40,000 deaths. Last year, Iraq officially banned the PKK, paving the way for stronger relations between Baghdad and Ankara. Subsequently, both countries signed dozens of agreements in various fields, including security.
Rudaw Net
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Tensions between Iraqi army, PKK-affiliated force continue in Shingal
Also in Iraq Cancer hospital to be opened in Mosul Iraq's Sadr condemns renewed Israeli attacks on Gaza Several Iraqi soldiers injured in Shingal clashes: Lawmaker Iraqi FM deplores Israeli attacks on Gaza, confirms clear 'Zionist' threats to Iraq A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi army and an armed group affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) clashed in Nineveh province's Shingal (Sinjar) late Tuesday, causing several injuries from both sides, according to a lawmaker and the group. The Shingal Resistance Units (YBS), widely seen as an all-Yazidi offshoot of the PKK, said in a statement early Wednesday that the Iraqi army targeted one of their vehicles in Shingal, which led to the injuries of their fighters. YBS claimed that the army "ambushed" their members, adding that one of the injured is in critical condition. The Iraqi army has yet to comment on the incident. Sherwan Dubardani, a Kurdish lawmaker from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Nineveh province, told Rudaw late Tuesday that four Iraqi soldiers were injured in the altercation, claiming that the army was pursuing a stolen vehicle before YBS fighters attacked the soldiers in defense of the individual accused of stealing the vehicle. Luqman Sultan, head of Shingal hospital, told Rudaw that five members of the Iraqi army were injured in the incident. Pro-YBS media reported on Wednesday that tensions between both sides continue. YBS-affiliated Cira TV said that some people went to protest against the Iraqi army near the incident area but were prevented by the army. There is a myriad of armed groups in Shingal, including those affiliated with the PKK, the Iraqi government, and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Ongoing security issues and a lack of basic services have prevented many displaced people from returning to their homes. This is not the first time clashes have erupted between the army and the YBS. A deadly altercation took place between them over control of the town in May 2022. Tensions between both sides were also high in March 2019. YBS was formed in 2007 but its role became more prominent after the Islamic State (ISIS) attacked the Yazidi heartland of Shingal in 2014 and carried out massacres against the ethnoreligious minority group. With the help of the PKK fighters, who descended from Kurdistan Region's mountainous areas, the YBS was able to control large swathes of land in Shingal and still remains one of the dominant forces there despite opposition from Baghdad and sporadic attacks by Ankara - which considers it an offshoot of the PKK. The PKK, listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, has been involved in a devastating conflict with Ankara for decades. Over 40,000 people have been killed in the clashes. Last year, Iraq banned the PKK, paving the way for stronger relations between Baghdad and Ankara. Later, both countries signed dozens of agreements in various fields, including security.
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.
