“Now we are preparing to form a political administration council for these areas. Through this council we will appoint new officials for the administration units. We will not allow the previous officials to return, because they betrayed us and collaborated with ISIS,” Naif Jasim, a Yezidi chieftain from Kocho who commands a group named Ezidkhan Brigade within the Hashd, told Rudaw.
He believes the Shiite-controlled paramilitary units (PMUs) are the best option for Yezidis to return safely.
“As barriers have been created for people’s return, so far only nine families have returned. Kurds should no longer create barriers for peoples' return,” Jasim explained, in reference to Peshmerga forces.
The PMUs are well-funded and supplied. They were formally brought under the command of Iraqi armed forces in December 2016.
“Hashd al-Shaabi is serious in assisting us. They gave us all types of weapons. In order to be able to protect our districts in the future, they decided to train us,” Jasim said.
The demarcation line between Peshmerga and Hashd areas lies just north of Kocho with both sides fortifying their positions.
“Hashd al-Shaabi’s high officials in these areas returned to their areas for Ramadan Eid,” Jasim said. “They will come back soon, and all our forces will start training in Shingal’s grand military base.”
Bashar Kiki, the head of Nineveh provincial council, says Hashd has no political authority in the region, which straddles Nineveh and Duhok provinces.
“Hashd al-Shaabi cannot change one official of those areas because from a legal stand point changing any official is in the authority of the provincial council,” explained Bashar Kiki.
The Hashd created the Ezidkhan unit after he returned from Germany and joined the group this spring.
While some Yezidis have joined the unit, others say they just wanted to participate in the liberation of their areas from ISIS.
“We did not join Hashd al-Shaabi, we only wanted to participate in the liberation of our areas and see them. We came back after 25 days. Now we are all Peshmerga,” said Saaed Murad, a Yezidi commander in Shingal, referring to the Hashd’s springtime offensive
Murad believes that due to the presence of Hashd, people will not return home.
“Until Peshmerga not return and protect those areas, none will return to under the control of Hashd al-Shaabi,” he posited.
In addition to the presence of Hashd and Kurdish Peshmerga in the region are the Shingal Protection Units (YBS), a Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) affiliate.
When ISIS militants attacked Shingal and its surroundings in August 2014, they arrested thousands of Yezidis, many from the village of Kocho. Some of them were collectively killed in the village. Others, girls and women, were sold or taken by ISIS.
According to data in March from the KRG Office of Yezidi Affairs, of the 6,255 Yezidis who were kidnapped in August 2014, 3,878 are still in ISIS captivity with nearly 1,800 of them being women and children.
