Kurdish town hit by quake refuses aid from Iran-backed militia

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – A militia group of the Iranian-backed mainly Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi has delivered aid to the earthquake-hit areas in Sulaimani province on Thursday, Kurdish officials said. One of the Kurdish towns where the aid was destined refused to accept the help claiming that the group is responsible for human rights violations in Tuz Khurmatu, southeast of Kirkuk. 

The Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq Shiite militia sent tents and other basic needs to the Kurdish towns of Darbandikhan and Sartaki Bamo southeast of Erbil, near the Kurdistan-Iran border.

Darbandikhan is the worst earthquake-hit area in the Kurdistan Region where several people died, many more sustained injuries, and the town’s dam was damaged in the earthquake.

Hakim Adil, the mayor of Sartaki Bamo, confirmed the group planned to send the aid. He told Rudaw on Friday that their town decided to block the delivery. He explained the Iraqi Red Crescent was also cooperating with the Hashd group, which was trying to deliver tents.

Rudaw contacted Nasih Mullah Hassan, the mayor of Darbandikhan, but he declined to comment on the issue.

Town resident Fryad Abdullah, who recorded a video of the aid delivery to Darbandikhan, said the Shiite group in fact handed the aid to some of the affected people there. He claimed officials welcomed the aid with “open arms.”

Iraqi forces, supported by the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi forces, took over the oil-rich Kirkuk province, and other disputed areas in October. 

These areas, claimed by both Erbil and Baghdad and where the Kurdistan Region held a controversial vote on independence in September, were previously held by the Kurdish Peshmerga.

Rights organizations, including Amnesty International, reported killings, lootings and arson attacks on mainly Kurdish houses in Tuz Khurmatu. Kurdish officials blamed the attacks primarily on the Hashd forces.

The United Nations reported that at least 160,000 people fled the conflict areas in Kirkuk and other disputed areas due to the fighting between the Iraqi and Kurdish security forces.