The Iraqi army and the militant groups are mobilizing forces on the borders with Syria following the clashes in Aleppo.
The Shingal (Sinjar) Resistance Units Yabsha (YBS or YBSh) and pro-Shiite paramilitary of Popular Mobilization Forces PMF (Hashd al-Shaabi) have mobilized their forces and deployed fighters on the outskirts of Sinjar in preparation for any emergency on the Iraqi-Syrian border.
These movements coincide with the preparations of other Iraqi forces, including the Border Guard, the Army, Intelligence, and National Security.
Nayef Shamo, the official of the Democratic Autonomous Administration Council in Sinjar, stated to KirkukNow, "After the deterioration of the situation in Syria and the outbreak of battles in several areas, Al-Yabsha and Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi forces were deployed towards the border and west of Sinjar, in addition to their deployment in the center of Sinjar district and its affiliated sub-districts."
"We will defend the land of Shingal and its residents with our blood. We will not allow any party to destabilize the region, and we will monitor the security situation in the district continuously," Shamo reassured residents of the area.
Most of the YBŞ fighters are Ezidis (Yazidis) and close to the Kurdistan Workers Party PKK, fighting Turkey since the 1980s and holding territories in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region IKR and the disputed territories.
When the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria ISIS took large swathes of Iraq including Shingal in August 2014, the Iraqi troops backed by Kurdish Peshmarga (fighters) and pro- PKK fighters ousted IS in October 2015. They deployed in several areas in the region.
YBSh fighters follow the Shingal Democratic Autonomous Administrative Council. This Council was formed by the components of the Shingal district in 2015 to manage the war-torn region, but neither the Iraqi federal nor the Kurdistan Regional Governments KRG recognized them.
Shingal, located 120 km west of Mosul, center of Nineveh province, is home to over 100,000 adherents of the Ezidi ethno-religious community, and one of the disputed territories between Baghdad and Erbil. Ezidis reside in Shekhan, Bashiqa, and other areas in Duhok Northern Province.
In the Ezidi-dominant region of Shingal, only three thousand square kilometers, Baghdad federal and Erbil regional governments compete to establish their rule: three local administrations want to administer the district, where eight different armed forces are deployed.
On November 27, 2024, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and several armed factions identifying as opposition factions to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attacked and took control of several areas and towns in Syria, including west of the city of Aleppo, sparking clashes in various areas.
On Sunday, December 1, Major General Yahya Rasool, spokesman for the commander-in-chief of the armed forces in Iraq, stated that all Iraqi forces were on alert on the border between Iraq and Syria.
He emphasized that "the army, border guard forces, and other forces will confront any attack or threat approaching the Iraqi border," ensuring that the border is fortified.
Sinjar, part of Nineveh province, is near the border with Syria and was fiercely attacked by IS militants entering Iraq from Syria in 2014.
Mohammed Kakai, head of the security committee in Nineveh Provincial Council, assured KirkukNow that "the security situation is under control, with no threats on the border."
"The border is fully secured with thermal cameras, and border guard forces are constantly monitoring the situation. All preparations have been made," he added.
The border between Iraq and Syria, over 600 kilometers long, is secured with surveillance cameras and concrete barriers, according to security and military officials.
Shamo commented on the situation in Sinjar, stating, "The 2014 scenario will not be repeated. I do not expect a direct war to break out in our region, but preparing for any emergency is important, and everyone must be on alert."
An exclusive source in the Shingal police forces informed KirkukNow that "security reinforcements and heavy weapons were sent to the Iraqi-Syrian border a week ago. Security and military forces continue to perform their duties in the center of Shingal district and Sinuny sub-district, with the situation under surveillance."
*This story has been produced as part of the 'Budget is Your Right' initiative, with support from the National Democratic Institute (NDI).
