DUHOK, Kurdistan Region — The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) reached an agreement with the Iraqi government and the Hashd al-Shaabi to withdraw their fighters from Shingal. In return, the Iraqi Army will incorporate forces from Shingal.
“According to the agreement, PKK guerrillas, who number 100-300, will withdraw from Shingal. In return, the Iraqi government will employ all fighters of other forces such as the Ezidkhan Asayesh, Shingal Protection Units (YBS), Shingal Women Protection Units (YJS) and Counter Terrorism — who total around 3,000 individuals — under Iraqi Ministry of Defense with their own titles and logos,” Qasim Shingali member of the PKK-founded Shingal Administration Council, told Rudaw.
He also told Rudaw that these fighters will receive salaries from the Iraqi government.
Shingali welcomed the PKK’s decision, explaining that PKK’s withdrawal is to save Shingal people from Turkish aggression.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Saturday it would begin an anti-PKK operation in Shingal. Iraq’s Joint Operations Command denied an operation was underway on Sunday. The Iraqi army deployed to Shingal later that day and said PKK had “fully withdrawn.” Only the YBS/YBJ and the Iraqi Army are now present.
Shingal district is governed by 15 pro-PKK councilors. Regarding the fate of the council, Shingali said: “We previously submitted a project to Iraqi government to form an independent administration for Shingal [and] we are waiting for a reply.”
Shingali also said that the portraits of Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of PKK, will stay in place.
Fahd Hamid was previously a PKK official, but when Peshmerga forces withdrew from Shingal in October 2017, he was installed as mayor of the district by the Shiite-led Hashd al-Shaabi.
Hamid told Rudaw that the withdrawal of PKK is to “avoid another disaster.”
Abdulqadir Shingali deputy governor of Nineveh told Rudaw that “we are not aware of the agreement for withdrawal of PKK [fighters]. What we see now is only propaganda because all the forces formed by PKK will remain there. It is untrue to say that because of the withdrawal of 100 PKK guerrillas, the PKK will not be present in Shingal.”
The Group of Communities in Kurdistan (KCK), PKK’s umbrella group, announced on Thursday their forces would withdraw from Shingal.
Murat Karayilan, a PKK leader, told radio close to the group (Denge Welat), that their withdrawal from Shingal began six months ago and the Iraqi government is aware.
