A Peshmerga brigade under the Duhok command of the Peshmerga forces has resigned from its duties in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq KRI, citing “oppression and deprivation of their rights”.
The 4th Brigade of the Peshmerga Forces of Shingal (Sinjar) held a press conference in Tahrir Square in Baghdad on Saturday. They stated that they have been oppressed and their rights deprived by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and as a result, they resign.
Speaking on behalf of 1,200 Peshmergas, the force mentioned that "this decision is a result of the oppression against us," and therefore they appealed to Mohammed Shia Sudani, as the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi armed forces to be recruited by the federal agencies.
Mirza Khalaf, commander of the Shingal Defense Force, which is under the Peshmerga Ministry, informed KirkukNow that the force is not associated with the Shingal command as they are part of Duhok command since 2015
"As the commander of Sinjar, we do not know why they separated and how and have not received any official communication about their separation. We only learned about it through the media," Khalaf explained.
Baghdad, March 1, 2025: Announcement of the resignation of a number of Peshmergas and the termination of their duties in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Meanwhile, a member of the commander of the Yazidkhan Defense Force, led by Haider Shasho and also affiliated with the Peshmerga Ministry, informed KirkukNow that the forces who declared their secession from Baghdad are Yazidis but are not affiliated with (Yazidi) commanders Haidar Shasho and Qasim Shasho.”
"The force was established after the takeover of Shingal in 2015, and after the Peshmerga returned to Shingal, the force lrft the area... We are unaware of the reasons behind their separation," he added.
The KRG Peshmerga Ministry has not yet issued a statement regarding the press conference, and it remains unclear how many Peshmerga support their position.
When the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) took control of large parts of Iraq, including Shingal, in August 2014, Iraqi troops, backed by Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and pro-PKK forces, were able to oust ISIS by October 2015. They were deployed in various areas throughout the region.
When the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) took control of large parts of Iraq, including Shingal, in August 2014, Iraqi troops, backed by Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and pro-PKK forces, were able to oust ISIS by October 2015. They were deployed in various areas throughout the region.
Shingal, located 120 km west of Mosul in the center of Nineveh province, is home to over 100,000 members of the non-Muslim Ezidi ethno-religious community. It is also one of the disputed territories between Baghdad and Erbil. Ezidis also reside in Shekhan, Bashiqa, and other areas in Duhok Northern Province.
In the Ezidi-dominated region of Shingal, which covers only three thousand square kilometers, the Baghdad federal government and the Erbil regional government are competing to establish their authority. Three local administrations are vying to govern the district, where eight different armed forces are currently deployed.
