Nineveh council calls on all armed groups to leave Shingal
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Nineveh authorities have requested all armed groups to vacate Shingal in order to allow the civil administration to return to the area and resume providing services to the population.
“We have just informed them, as the provincial council, to leave these places in two weeks,” Bashar al-Kiki, chairman of the Nineveh Provincial Council, told Rudaw.
The Shingal region, traditional homeland of the Yezidi minority, was taken over by ISIS in August 2014.
In November 2015, Kurdish Peshmerga and forces of the PKK coordinated to oust the terror group from the town of Shingal.
The PKK have maintained a presence in the area, saying they are there to defend the Yezidis.
The Peshmerga evacuated Shingal in October 2017 when Iraqi forces and Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi militias took control of the majority of the disputed areas.
Asked if the council’s call for the armed groups to leave included both the PKK and the Hashd, Kiki responded, “All the armed groups.”
“They should vacate the government buildings in Shingal,” he said, arguing that armed forces should not control government institutions.
Kiki said that civilians have requested the council return to the town in order restore basic services that have been largely lacking in the heavily war-damaged town. The council currently has no presence in Shingal, he confirmed.
The armed groups have not immediately responded to the council’s demand. Kiki said that if they do not leave, then the council will turn to Baghdad, arguing that it is the federal government’s responsibility. He expressed surprise that Baghdad had not yet taken any action against the armed groups in Shingal.
“We have just informed them, as the provincial council, to leave these places in two weeks,” Bashar al-Kiki, chairman of the Nineveh Provincial Council, told Rudaw.
The Shingal region, traditional homeland of the Yezidi minority, was taken over by ISIS in August 2014.
In November 2015, Kurdish Peshmerga and forces of the PKK coordinated to oust the terror group from the town of Shingal.
The PKK have maintained a presence in the area, saying they are there to defend the Yezidis.
The Peshmerga evacuated Shingal in October 2017 when Iraqi forces and Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi militias took control of the majority of the disputed areas.
Asked if the council’s call for the armed groups to leave included both the PKK and the Hashd, Kiki responded, “All the armed groups.”
“They should vacate the government buildings in Shingal,” he said, arguing that armed forces should not control government institutions.
Kiki said that civilians have requested the council return to the town in order restore basic services that have been largely lacking in the heavily war-damaged town. The council currently has no presence in Shingal, he confirmed.
The armed groups have not immediately responded to the council’s demand. Kiki said that if they do not leave, then the council will turn to Baghdad, arguing that it is the federal government’s responsibility. He expressed surprise that Baghdad had not yet taken any action against the armed groups in Shingal.