ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Duhok’s governor Ali Tatar has said the agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and federal government in Baghdad over the disputed district of Shingal is a “significant step” towards rapprochement between Erbil and Baghdad, amid ongoing disputes between the two sides.
“It is a very important start if the agreement is signed and implemented properly … it will be the key to resolving many other issues between the Iraqi federal government and the KRG," and “can be a key solution to areas that fall within the Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution,” he said, referring to an article on the final status of territories disputed between Erbil and Baghdad.
Baghdad reached a deal with the KRG in October over the governance and security of Shingal, in Nineveh province, to resolve a number of issues preventing displaced Shingalis from returning to the area. Under the Erbil-Baghdad agreement, security for the troubled region will be Baghdad's responsibility. The federal government will have to establish a new armed force recruited from the local population and expel fighters from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and their affiliated groups.
The comments were made during a roundtable discussion hosted by Rudaw’s Research Centre in Duhok on Tuesday. The roundtable was also attended by Jawhar Ali, a representative of the Yazidi prince, Iraqi national security adviser Saeed al-Jiyashi, Mayor of Shingal Mahma Khalil, and Haider Shasho, commander of the Ezidkhan Protection Forces, a Yazidi armed group part of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces.
Ali praised the importance of the KRG and Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, saying he “has set up an office to rescue our mothers and sisters from the hands of Daesh, and more than 3,000 people have been rescued so far," using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State (ISIS).
Approximately 6,418 Yazidis were kidnapped when ISIS overran the Yazidi heartland of Shingal in August 2014, committing genocide against the small ethnoreligious group. Women and young girls were sold into sexual slavery, with young boys forced to fight for the terror group. According to the Office for Yazidi Abductees' Affairs, 3,542 have been rescued - including 1,204 women.
Ali added that the people of Shingal have become victims of border conflicts between Syria and other international and regionals governments, and hopes the agreement is implemented "as soon as possible,” adding that the district should become part of the Kurdistan Region.
“It is the main way for Shingal to become problem-free,” he said.
Regarding the implementation of the agreement, Jiyashi said “more than 80 percent of external forces" have evacuated Shingal, the evacuation of the remaining forces “is being worked on,” and noted that local police are being recruited and trained.
"The Shingal mountains that have saved us from extinction 74 times are occupied by an illegitimate force, the PKK, which stands in the way of coexistence in Shingal,” said Khalil.
Shasho said he was not aware of the details of the implementation of the agreement, but hoped that “the people of Shingal ,and especially the Yazidis should be the main concern.”
