ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Shingal Protection Units (YBS) and a Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) affiliate, the People's Protection Forces (HPG) claim that their forces are ready to take part in the long anticipated battle for Mosul against Islamic State (ISIS) militants. However, the head of Mosul Provincial Council said "neither these forces [YBS and HPG] nor [the Shiite militiamen of] Hashd al-Shaabi should take part in the operation." The military commander of the YBS, Haval Mazloum, told Rudaw that they have 2,000 militants in their forces and are stationed on the Mount Shingal and its outskirts and are presently preparing "to participate in the Mosul liberation operation." When asked who would allow them to participate in the operation Mazlum replied "It is already decided that we would participate in liberating Mosul." In the meantime, an official from the HPG forces command, an army wing of Group of Communities in Kurdistan (KCK), told Rudaw that they are also going to "participate as a separate force in Mosul liberation operations." The HPG official, who spoke to Rudaw on condition of anonymity, added that "some 2500 fighters of the group are on the Mount Shingal, and a vast majority of them will join other forces," in the fight for Mosul. The KCK is an organization founded by the PKK to put their jailed leader Ocalan’s ideology of democratic confederalism into practice. In regards to his group's relation with Baghdad authorities the HPG official revealed that there is cooperation between the Iraqi government and the HPG and that Baghdad will permit them to participate in the battle. He explained that their men have undergone sufficient military training. But, Hashm Brifkani, the head of security committee in the Mosul provincial council, said the YBS and HPG could not participate without their consent. "We do not accept a force like Hashd al-Shaabi, how can we accept forces like YBS and HPG to participate?" he wondered adding that, "Without Mosul residents' consent, we can not accept any force to participate in liberating the city." The reason they reject these forces, Brifkani said, is that "their participation will not be helpful," for ethno-sectarian reasons. A vast majority of members of the Mosul Provincial Council also voiced their opposition to having the Shiite militia-majority Hashd al-Shaabi group participating in the battle for Mosul on Monday in a meeting held in the Assyrian town of Alqosh north of Mosul.
