Iraq's Yazidis call for autonomy as conflict flares between army, PKK affiliates
Ongoing tensions due to regional interference to settle scores among rivals threaten new acts of violence, menacing the Yazidi minority concentrated in the area.
More than 40 Yazidi community leaders from Sinjar signed a petition on March 13, demanding self-rule in Sinjar, the addition of the Ezidxane Asayish (Security Forces of Ezidkhan) to the security forces, and other demands related to services and job opportunities. The Ezidxane Asayish are the Yazidi police forces in areas controlled by the Sinjar Resistance Units, which are affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Over the past few days, the city of Sinjar — disputed between Baghdad and Erbil — has been the stage of emerging tensions between the Iraqi army and advocates of the PKK refusing entry to the army.
The army’s entry is part of the Sinjar Agreement signed between the Iraqi government and the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Jan. 9, 2020, to normalize the situation in the district.
The Sinjar Agreement, which received unanimous local and international support except from circles close to the PKK and the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), stipulated under its administrative section that a new district officer known as a "qaimaqam" (prefect) shall be chosen for the independent Sinjar district by the joint committee and the governor of Ninevah, and other administrative positions shall be reviewed by the joint committee formed by both parties.
