Iraq deploys military forces to Shengal

The Iraqi forces will mainly be stationed on Mount Kolik to the west of Shengal.

In the context of the agreement concluded between the governments of Baghdad and Hewler (Erbil) on the town of Shengal (Sinjar), the Iraqi army has dispatched the first group of troops to the region.

Reports say that some 2500 soldiers have been deployed to Shengal, who were later stationed on Mount Kolik and border regions through the villages of Medîban and Sibe Şêx Xidir.

Iraqi military officials stated that these troops will control the area extending to the Rebia town.

In this way, the entire border area between North-East Syria and Shengal will remain under the control of the Iraqi forces.

The Shengal Democratic Autonomous Assembly (MXDŞ) yesterday called on the Kurdish population to mobilize against the agreement concluded between Hewler and Baghdad on the future of the Yazidi settlement area and warned against another genocide. The Kurdish European umbrella organization KCDK-E also calls for protests. Since the agreement on the future of Shengal, supported by the USA and Turkey and concluded between the Iraqi central government and the KDP on October 9, 2020 in Baghdad under UN supervision, the Yazidi settlement area in Southern Kurdistan has been under great tension. The people in the region are outraged that the agreement was concluded over the heads of the affected population. Although Shengal is outside the autonomous region, the ruling party KDP claims control of the area. According to the agreement, the administration of the region is now in the hands of Hewler, while the Iraqi central government will be responsible for the security. To this end, the region is set to be “cleaned up of local and external armed groups”. This refers primarily to the Shengal Resistance Units (YBŞ, Yekîneyên Berxwedana Şengalê).