During ISIS attacks in 2014, HPG, YPG/YPJ and YBŞ opened and defended a humanitarian corridor from Shengal to Rojava. More than one hundred thousand civilians were saved from the ISIS massacre. While civilians were evacuated, food, medicines and other basic necessities were also transported to the region through this corridor.

The Iraqi government closed the humanitarian corridor on 15 December 2018 without giving a reason. The people of Shengal protested for days at the border. After the actions, meetings were held between decision-makers from the Shengal region and the Iraqi government, but so far no solution has been found.

The health committee of Shengal has made the following statement: "Since the humanitarian corridor between Rojava and Shengal was closed, we can no longer reach any of the medical help that Heyva Sor from Rojava tries to send us. We met with the Autonomous Shengal Assembly and many other institutions on this topic. But this problem has not been solved yet. We expect the Democratic Shengal Council, the Shengal Assembly and the Iraqi Ministry of Health to fulfill their duty. For the health care of the population, the solution to the problem of medicine supply is urgently needed. If this problem is not solved then our health care facilities cannot survive. We will be forced to close these facilities."