On October 9, 2020, an agreement concerning the Yazidi town of Shengal (Sinjar) was signed between the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government ruled by the KDP under the pressure of the Turkish state. The crackdown on Shengal increased after the agreement as wire fences and walls have been put around the border between Rojava and Shengal. In the meantime, attacks on the Maxmur Refugee Camp have increased. The Kurds condemn these joint attacks by Ankara, Baghdad and Hewlêr, blaming the KDP for being "a traitor". Çiçek Cengiz, a member of the Maxmur Ishtar Assembly Coordination, spoke to Jinnews about the attacks against Shengal and Maxmur.   

Continuation of conspiracy against Öcalan…

Çiçek remarked that the joint attacks by Ankara, Baghdad and Hewlêr were a continuation of the February 15 international conspiracy against Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. Çiçek said that the attacks aimed at reviving ISIS to make the group attack against Yazidis and Maxmur. “KDP’s betrayal has left its mark on history. KDP continues to maintain its power by allying with Turkey and Iraq,” she said.

'KDP is leading the attacks'

“From the very beginning, Maxmur has been subjected to the KDP’s betrayal. Turkey strives to realize its Ottoman dreams and the KDP is paving the way for this. The latest agreement between Baghdad, Ankara and Hewler is about establishing a military base near the Shengal border. Shengal experienced a massacre in 2014, and today it is facing a different method,” Çiçek continued.

'They are cutting off relations between Shengal and Rojava'

Çiçek remarked on the recent situation in the Yazidi town, stating, “Shengal has survived and organized itself with the ideas and philosophy of Öcalan throughout the whole process. It can protect itself with its own defence forces and does not need help from the Iraqi government and the KDP. They cannot tolerate this self-confidence of Shengal and are attempting to introduce a new Yazidi massacre. By establishing military bases near the border between Rojava and Shengal, they want to separate them from each other. They are preparing a new massacre to eliminate all Yazidis in Shengal.”  

'Plans against Maxmur'

Çiçek revealed that the attacks on the Maxmur Refugee Camp have increased since 2014. She continued, “ISIS attacks and the Turkish attacks are currently continuing. Just like Shengal, there are plans to target the Maxmur Camp. However, our people in the camp have been resisting for years.”

Call upon the international community

Çiçek emphasized that the KDP and the Iraqi government are responsible for all attacks on Shengal, Rojava and Maxmur. “Since Maxmur is under the protection of the United Nations (UN), the UN is also responsible for the attacks. We urge international powers and institutions to put an end to these attacks,” she concluded.