Hashd forces detain dozens of Yezidi Peshmerga in Shingal
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – A force from the Iraqi Shia Hashd al-Shaabi forces attacked a Peshmerga base in Shingal in the early hours of Monday morning and disarmed and abducted more than twenty Peshmerga, a local commander said. They were released later in the afternoon.
"At 1:30 in the morning a Badr [organization] force, which is affiliated to Hashd al-Shaabi stormed one of our military bases in downtown Shingal for searching,” Haider Shasho, commander of the Yezidikhan forces told Rudaw.
“The force claimed they were from the Iraqi intelligence,” he reported. “They took all members of the force who were in the base.”
According to Shasho nearly 30 members of his force who were guarding a Yezidi temple were detained by the Hashd force.
The Peshmerga were handed over to the federal police and subsequently released.
"The Peshmerga kidnapped by a Hashd al-Shaabi force were released this afternoon," Shasho told Rudaw.
The Peshmerga’s weapons that were seized have not been returned, however, he added.
A Hashd source told Rudaw that the men they arrested were in the area armed and without permission.
"These forces were in the area without permission,” he told Rudaw on condition of anonymity.
“We wanted to hand them over to the Shingal police, but they refused to receive them, so they will be handed over to Iraqi Army's 16th Brigade in Shingal."
Shasho warned that they will respond to any provocative move by the Hashd forces.
"At 1:30 in the morning a Badr [organization] force, which is affiliated to Hashd al-Shaabi stormed one of our military bases in downtown Shingal for searching,” Haider Shasho, commander of the Yezidikhan forces told Rudaw.
“The force claimed they were from the Iraqi intelligence,” he reported. “They took all members of the force who were in the base.”
According to Shasho nearly 30 members of his force who were guarding a Yezidi temple were detained by the Hashd force.
The Peshmerga were handed over to the federal police and subsequently released.
"The Peshmerga kidnapped by a Hashd al-Shaabi force were released this afternoon," Shasho told Rudaw.
The Peshmerga’s weapons that were seized have not been returned, however, he added.
A Hashd source told Rudaw that the men they arrested were in the area armed and without permission.
"These forces were in the area without permission,” he told Rudaw on condition of anonymity.
“We wanted to hand them over to the Shingal police, but they refused to receive them, so they will be handed over to Iraqi Army's 16th Brigade in Shingal."
Shasho warned that they will respond to any provocative move by the Hashd forces.
Updated at 5:16 pm