BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s government said Monday that a Yazidi armed group in the northern district of Sinjar would be dissolved and its fighters would join the country’s official security forces.
The agreement comes as authorities seek to bring weapons under state control
despite opposition from some of the country’s most powerful militias, and amid a push to end Turkey’s military presence in northern Iraq.The Sinjar Resistance Units, or YBS, played a significant
role in fighting against Islamic State militants, who advanced across Sinjar in 2014, killing and enslaving thousands of members of the Yazidi religious minority. Turkey, however, viewed the group as a threat because of its ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, a Kurdish separatist group that fought a decades-long conflict with the Turkish state.
Turkey is now engaged in peace efforts with the PKK aimed at ending a decades-long conflict. The group, whose fighters have launched attacks on Turkish targets from bases in northern Iraq, has agreed to disband and lay down arms as part of the effort.
The YBS leadership said the agreement for the “termination of the independent military status of our forces” covered 4,165 male and female fighters from the YBS and the Sinjar Women’s Units.
“Today, we are not closing the book on our history, nor are we disavowing the sacrifices made during years of resistance,” the statement said. “Rather, we are transitioning from a phase imposed by genocide and war to a new phase of operating within the framework of state institutions.”
The group said it had lost 530 fighters in battles to defend the area.
The statements did not provide further details on the practical arrangements or timetable for integrating the fighters into the federal security forces.
Thousands of Yazidis were killed or abducted by IS, with many women forced into sexual slavery, while tens of thousands fled their homes. The assault left deep scars on the community, with survivors continuing to seek justice and information about the fate of their missing relatives.
Although IS lost control of the area, Sinjar has struggled to recover from the devastation. Many displaced Yazidis have yet to return, while reconstruction has been delayed and access to basic services remains limited.
The Iraqi government statement praised the Yazidi community’s role in fighting IS and pledged to protect the rights of those who fought the group, compensate victims of militant attacks and their families, and support the reconstruction of Sinjar.
The agreement comes amid broader Iraqi government efforts to bring armed groups under state authority. Several powerful Iran-backed militias have said they have no intention of giving up their arms, particularly as the region is anticipating another round of escalation between Iran and the U.S. and Israel.
