The sub-district commissioner of Grr-Ozer, a sub-district associated with the predominantly Ezidi town of Shingal (Sinjar) west of Ninewa province has formally resigned.
Shakar Mulhim cited a number of reasons behind his decision including the lack of essential services in Grr-Ozer which has been preventing the return of displaced families to their homes.
Mulhim announced his resignation at a press conference attended by KirkukNow correspondent on Friday April 19, a year and a half after taking office.
“Until this moment I’ve been formally a sub-district commissioner appointed by the Iraqi government, but as no displaced people have returned to their homes in the area, I decided to quit”, he said.
The vast majority of the residents of Shingal district and its associated sub-districts fled their homes after the Islamic State (IS) group swept into the area in August 2014.
Although the town has been recaptured since November 2015, the lack of basic services in the area is hampering the return of displaced families.
“I made my decision under no pressure; I wanted to serve the area but I wasn’t given an opportunity, despite that I was undertaking my duties voluntarily and without being paid”, Mulhim told the news conference.
He added that one of the reasons which urged him to resign is to avoid having two separate administrations in Shingal.
Shingal district currently has two administrations; one of them was appointed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), while the other administration was appointed by the Iraqi federal government.
Shakar Mulhim was appointed as sub-district commissioner of Grr-Ozer by the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in October 2017.
On October 16, 2017, Iraqi forces returned to the territories disputed between the KRG and the federal government including Shingal compelling the Kurdish Peshmarga forces to withdraw from these territories. The move was a repercussion of an independence referendum held by the KRG earlier in September.
