As the invading Turkish army and South Kurdistan’s ruling party KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) are carrying out attacks on Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq), the Iraqi army launched a large-scale attack on Şengal earlier this week.

Activities of the Iraqi military in the Şengal region have escalated after work began for the construction of a 250-kilometer wall between Syria and Iraq.

While the Iraqi government claimed that it was building a wall to halt ISIS attacks, Iraqi Prime Minister Fuad Hisên officially confuted the claim in an interview with an Arab media outlet, saying that the wall was constructed to cut off the communication of Kurdish fighters between Rojava and Şengal.

The confession of the Iraqi PM reveals the Iraqi government's intentions against Şengal and the democratic project of the Yazidi Kurds.

Cizire Region Yazidi House Co-Chair Silêman Hemo evaluated the recent escalation in the Yazidi homeland Şengal and the KDP’s support for Iraqi attacks on the region. Speaking to ANHA, Hemo remarked that the KDP is afraid of the Şengal Autonomous Administration.

'SELF-DEFENSE IS FREEDOM'

Hemo noted that Şengal is a holy place for all Yazidis in the world, stating, “Yazidis have been subjected to many genocides and massacres throughout history. The Ottomans pursued a systematic policy of genocide against the Yazidis. These people have been subjected to 74 mass slaughters, 60 of them at the hands of the Ottomans. Their aim was to completely destroy the Kurds. This policy is still pursued by the Turkish state today.”

“The establishment of the Şengal Resistance Units (YBŞ) is very important. These units, together with other Kurdish forces, managed to liberate their land from ISIS and to protect the Yazidis from genocidal attacks. Afterwards, the people established an autonomous administration. Thus, the Yazidis all over the world have fixed their eyes on Şengal for a free life.”

'WHERE WAS THE IRAQ ARMY WHEN ISIS ATTACKED US?'

12,000 KDP troops withdrew from Şengal after hundreds of ISIS gangs attacked Şengal and carried out massacres against the Yazidis in August 2014.

The Yazidis in Şengal then established the YBŞ, which defeated ISIS and protected the city against attacks.

Hemo said that the recent actions of the Iraqi government are contrary to the Iraqi federal constitution. “According to the Iraqi constitution and its parliament, Şengal is allowed to establish its military force and govern itself. Instead of protecting the Yazidis, the Iraqi state is deploying its forces to the regions where ISIS was defeated. So, where was the Iraqi army when ISIS attacked us?”

‘THE WALL TARGETS THE DEMOCRATIC PROJECT’

According to Hemo, the recent operations by the Iraqi army clearly show that they are afraid of the expansion of the Şengal Autonomous Administration project into the other parts of Iraq.

Hemo stated that Şengal has proven the strength of its military forces and its self-government has proved success in defending the Yazidi Kurds.

“The Iraqi government manifests its intention with the construction of the wall along the Syria-Iraq border. The wall between the two countries targets the existence of Yazidis and  threatens their democratic project. They are cutting the ties between Rojava’s Kurds and Şengal’s Kurds. This is a hostile act. We know very well that the construction of this wall is a Turkish plan implemented by Iraqi forces and will affect future relations between Kurdish forces and the Iraqi government,” Hemo stressed.

'NO LEGAL INSTITUTION DEALT WITH YAZIDI GENOCIDE'

“The Iraqi government which claims to represent the peoples in Iraq has not yet recognized the genocidal attacks against the Yazidi Kurds in Şengal. The UN, of which Iraq is a member, has not recognized these crimes and massacres. On the contrary, all parties are trying to cover up the facts and reasons that led to the genocide attempts in Şengal. No court has judged those responsible for these crimes, no legal institution has been involved until now,” Hemo concluded.