The Kurdish National Congress (KNK) Co-Chair Zeynep Murad shared her evaluations on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s latest ominous messages regarding Sinjar (Shengal) that Turkey is planing to conduct military operations in Sinjar in requested coordination with the Iraqi government.
The Iraqi government headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) signed the “Sinjar Agreement”, according to which only Iraqi federal forces should operate in Sinjar and all other armed groups must leave the war-torn district of Sinjar in northern Iraq.
Iraqi forces forces were deployed to Sinjar on 1 December 2020, taking over the positions previously controlled by other armed forces, mainly the Sinjar Defense Units (YBS), which was active in driving out ISIS from Sinjar in 2014 and the Ezidkhan Protection Forces, a group that Yazidis and people of Sinjar formed to defend themselves against the attacks of ISIS.
Sinjar Autonomous Administration said in a previous statement regarding the Sinjar Agreement, excluding residents of Sinjar and disregarding the town’s will was unacceptable and that they rejected any decision without their involvement.
Both the Iran’s Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU) and Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) did not welcome the Sinjar Agreement as well whilst some of the PMU and PKK leaders condemned it, claiming that the agreement paves way for the Iraqi government and KRG to extend their authority into both the Sinjar town and the larger Sinjar district.
Yazidi people of Sinjar have been sitting in front of the Êzîdxan Public Security Centre for 56 days, protesting against the Sinjar Agreement.
With these steps taken, the Kurdish National Congress (Congressia Netewî ya Kurdistanê-KNK) formed a Crisis Desk to reduce tensions in the Sinjar region. The KNK has been reaching out to the political parties in the region and inviting all parties to dialogue and negotiation.
While the situation in Sinjar remains volatile, Turkey’s National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar along with the country’s chief of General Staff, arrived in the Iraqi capital for an official visit, the National Defense Ministry announced on 18 January. Turkish Minister Akar then left Baghdad to visit Erbil (Hewler), the capital city in Kurdistan Region to hold talks with the KDP Chair Mesut Barzani, as well as with Nechirvan Barzani, the KRG’s President and the KRG’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.
Following Akar’s return to turkey, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan replied to a question of a journalist regarding Sinjar while leaving Friday prayers in an Istanbul mosque. “We are always ready to carry out joint operations, but these operations are not carried out by declaring them. I always have a saying; ‘At one night, we can suddenly come’. That’s it,” said Erdoğan.
Zeynep Murad spoke to Mesopotamia Agency (MA) regarding Erdoğan’s comments on Sinjar, the contacts of the Turkish delegation in Turkey’s top defense official Hulusi Akar’s visit to Iraq and the attitude of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) regarding the tension in the region.
“Turkey has submitted a request for a military operation to Sinjar”
“Turkey’s official discussion with Iraqi authorities has not gone positively so far. Turkey gained an weak agreement during the last meeting. According to the information we received from the Iraqi authorities, Turkey has submitted a request for a military operation to Shengal,” said Murad.
“The answers of these negotiations, Turkey’s other demand is to terminate the existence of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Bashur (Başur-Iraqi Kurdistan), have not been answered yet by the Iraqi government and for the time being these demands are not yet welcomed positively.”
“They want to renew the old map of Ottomans”
The real purpose of Turkey via these meetings is to occupy the Kurdish regions in the borders of Iraq, that is “the Bashur (Iraqi Kurdistan)” according to Murad.
“Turkey wants to enter Bashur with these negotiations. Erdoğan’s demands should not be met in any way. What’s he doing in Kurdistan territory? Turkey’s plans are not only to remove the PKK, but their purpose is to occupy all of Kurdistan. In short, they want to renew the old map of the Ottoman Empire with this occupation, “she said.
“Turkey prepares to attack Derik district of Rojava”
“After the talks of Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar in the region, Erdoğan gave a signal of Shengal attack immediately,” KNK’s Murad said. ”Not only Shengal but also Turkey prepares to attack toward Derik district in the city of Rojava. Erdoğan has huge plans to invade Kurdistan. Turkey wants to occupy the regions where Yazidi (Ezidi) live. That is why people in the region, the women and youth do not evaluate Akar’s visit positively. We all need to approach this issue seriously. We need to increase our struggle against this agreement in every field we are in, ” she said.
