ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Seven fighters of the Shingal Protection Units (YBS) and Women’s Protection Units (YJS) were killed in clashes with Rojava Peshmerga on Friday in the Shingal region, a fight the groups said they did not want to be involved in.
Two of those killed were members of the armed-wing of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the HPG, and another 20 YBS/YJS fighters were wounded, according to a statement from the YBS/YJS command, published through the PKK-affiliated ANF news agency.
According to the statement, the YBS/YJS forces became involved to support civilians who objected to the arrival of Rojava Peshmerga forces in Khanasoor on Thursday. Women, children, and elderly were angry about the Peshmerga arrival, the group claimed, “At the same time, our forces took measures to prevent this group from progressing and for no other tension to take place,” the statement reads.
The Rojava Peshmerga, who are under the command of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), also issued a statement on Friday claiming that the YBS/YJS forces stopped a regular routine deployment of their forces and then opened fire. They have not released their own casualty figures.
On Friday, the Rojava Peshmerga attacked on many sides, alleges the YBS/YJS statement. “For this reason, our forces responded to the attack in the framework of defense and clashes began.”
A statement from the KRG Peshmerga ministry disputed this claim saying that the YBS first opened fire on their forces.
Echoing a statement on Friday from the Group of Communities in Kurdistan (KCK), an umbrella organization run by the PKK, the YBS/YJS state their belief that the attacks were planned during a recent visit of Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani to Ankara.
Claiming that the Rojava Peshmerga are trained and financed by Turkey, the YBS/YJS state that they are not opposed to Peshmerga of the Kurdistan Region entering Shingal but the Yezidi people reject “occupying forces” on their territory.
Rojava Peshmerga, also known as Roj force, are formally part of the KRG Peshmerga. They are trained and financed by the Kurdistan Region, as part of the Zervani forces. Sharvan derki, a spokesperson of the force, told Rudaw English that they have also received training from the US-led international coalition against ISIS.
The statement from the Kurdish Peshmerga warned on Friday that they do not seek authorization regarding the deployment of their forces when and where they want within Kurdistan.
The YBS/YJS vow to defend the Shingal region and call on all Yezidis and Kurds to speak out in opposition to the attacks “with a national and united spirit.”
A 24-hour ceasefire was reached late on Friday after meetings between leadership of both sides. The meetings are to continue on Saturday, Hemin Hawrami, adviser to Barzani, tweeted on Friday.
The Rojava Peshmerga is a 5,000-strong force trained by the KRG consisting of Kurds from northern Syria. On Thursday, Derki told Rudaw that a regiment of 500 had been deployed to the KRG-Syria border area.
The YBS/YJS was established by the PKK after ousting ISIS from the Shingal area. The KRG has requested that the PKK withdraw from the Shingal area, accusing the group of destabilizing the region and preventing its reconstruction.
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, who reportedly acted as a mediator in the ceasefire talks, has called “for an immediate end to this war.” Kosrat Rasul Ali, PUK deputy, urged patience, calm, and dialogue.
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