The Sunnis of Tal Afar say they want a neutral, non-sectarian force to liberate their town.
“According to the previous plan the Iraqi army, federal police and anti-terror forces were to take part in the operation (to liberate Tal Afar),” Nabil Harbo, former MP and independent Turkmen politician from Tal Afar, told Rudaw English on Saturday.
“But the Iraqi government exceptionally has allowed the Hashd al-Shaabi to participate in the Tal Afar operation,” he complained.
“We, as the Turkmen tribal council and politicians from Tal Afar, plus all the Sunni blocs, have asked Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to not allow Hashd in the Tal Afar operation,” he added.
Harbo explained that the reason for concern over a partisan force entering Tal Afar is because of the sectarian tensions that exploded in Iraq after the 2003 US-led war.
“Whether or not the Hashd are going to commit crimes, we want a neutral force to retake Tal Afar in order to prevent violence and solve the problems,” Harbo said.
“The Iraqi people and politicians know well that the first sectarian sedition in 2003 rose up in Tal Afar. If the Hashd enter Tal Afar, would they not retaliate?” he asked.
“History shows us that the stability of Tal Afar is important for Nineveh, Kurdistan and Iraq,” Harbo said.
“Whoever allows Hashd to retake Tal Afar is wrong, because this will strengthen ISIS extremism,” he claimed.
With Hashd forces already in control of Tal Afar airport and continuing to make advances toward the town, Harbo said he believes the only way to dissuade the paramilitary force from Tal Afar is for coalition forces to call for a withdrawal and replace the paramilitaries with the Iraqi Army.
“There is one hope for preventing Hashd from entering Tal Afar, which is the global collation led by the US. It can make them withdraw from the area,” Harbo said. “There are two Iraqi army brigades now in Baghdad. They have been trained by the Americans to retake Tal Afar. They can replace Hashd.”
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