Scores of people reportedly blocked roadways at the district’s main entrance from the Kurdistan Region. Claims from involved parties remain unconfirmed.
Ashti Kochar, head of the KDP’s office in Shingal, in a press conference blamed the blockage on Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) opposition. He said that “when elections are being held, the candidates have the right to go to their areas and campaign.”
Qasim Shasho, commander of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Peshmerga forces in Shingal, told Rudaw Saturday that the Shingal Resistance Forces (YBS) and PKK “prevented the KDP delegation” from entering the district.
PKK-aligned parties, meanwhile, say that they were unaware of the KDP’s visit.
Hussein Haji, head of the PKK-aligned Autonomous Administration in Shingal, told Rudaw Saturday that it was not made aware of the KDP’s visit.
“We should have also been made aware of their visit, and they should have coordinated with us, as well,” he said.
PKK-affiliated ANF news said that the KDP engaged in "military activity" to enter Shingal, and that “the people of Shingal went out and closed the main road linking the Kurdistan Region with Shingal.”
Khudeda Chuki, mayor of the town of Sinuni in the Shingal district, said in a statement to Rudaw that “those who prevented [KDP entry] were civilians.”
Iraqi Prime Minister and commander-in-chief of armed forces Mustafa al-Kadhimi said in a meeting with the electoral commission and the High Security Committee on Saturday that “it is strictly forbidden to block roads in any electoral district, with the intention of influencing voters in favor of any political party.”
Vian Dakhil, a KDP candidate in Shingal said campaign prevention could signify that “there’s a plan on election day to not let people to vote by right and choice.” She said that, should this be the case, the KDP will file a complaint citing that “it is against the law according to the Election Commission to prevent anyone from holding their election.”
Tensions between the Kurdistan Region’s ruling KDP and the PKK have been on the rise for nearly a year, both sides trying to assert territorial control in areas that have seen regular clashes between the PKK and Turkish army. The KDP and its leaders in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have repeatedly called on the PKK to leave the Kurdistan Region.
Since its departure four years ago from disputed areas it claims were “occupied” by federal forces, the KDP has been almost totally absent from those areas, making it a challenge to connect with voters as it tries to reassert itself in areas fraught with ethnic tensions and sparring forces - some who see the KDP as a foe.
A number of armed forces remain in Shingal with various allegiances, including the Kurdistan Region Peshmerga, Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, also called Hashd al-Shaabi) and groups affiliated with the PKK. Last year, the Iraqi federal government and the KRG reached an agreement on the disputed Shingal region, also called Sinjar, stipulating that all armed forces should leave the city and be replaced by the federal police. The agreement has yet to be implemented, largely because armed groups refuse to leave.
