Towards election in Iraq: All eyes on Kurds

2021-08-09 13:19:46


	 

	HEWLER -  In the election to be held on October 10 in Iraq, where regional, political, military and economic where the battle lines are drawn, all parties involved have their eyes on the Kurds. The US, Iran, Turkey, Iraq and the KDP, which seem to be in conflict, are aligned regarding Maxmur and Shengal.

	 

	As the elections in Iraq approach, the forces against the Kurds are broadening the negotiation table.  However, when it comes to Mahmur and Şengal, who have established a life based on self-defense with their democratic autonomous structures, the USA, Iran, Turkey, Iraq and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) are on the same side. The decision of the US to withdraw its combat forces, which is also demanded by the Iraqis, makes the elections to be held on October 10 more important in the country.

	 

	ELECTION DURING CHAOS

	 

	Al Sadr Movement, one of the important Shiite forces in the country, decided not to participate in the election. Turkey's operations against the Metîna, Avaşîn and Zap regions within the borders of the Federated Kurdistan Region continue on the eve of the election. On the other hand, another active force, Hashd al-Shaabi, continues its actions against the forces that it considers as foreigners and "invaders" on Iraqi soil. On the other hand, the KDP's plans to dissolve and dismember the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which is part of the Federal Kurdistan Region government, continue.  Turkey is applying pressure for the implementation of the Shengal Agreement signed on October 9, 2020, which ignores self-government and self-defense between Hewler-Baghdad. While the 400 billion dollar transaction between the Iraqi central government and the Federal Kurdistan Regional government has remains to be a deadlock in the country since 2005, the continuation of social events in Baghdad, Basra and from time to time in Hewler and Sulaymaniyah to protest this situation reveals the chaos in the country rather than the election atmosphere.

	 

	KURDS ARE ON THE TARGET

	 

	In this context, it is stated that the US and Turkey demand that an arrest warrant be issued for Lahur Sheikh Cengî, the co-chair of the PUK, and to replace him with Pavel Talabani who is close to the KDP. Again, while the pro-Iranian leaders in Hashd al-Shaabi are tried to be liquidated, the people living in the camp are trying to be taught a lesson by making ISIS attack Maxmur all of a sudden. Iraqi Government may try to take Maxmur Camp under its control showing the Turkish attacks a reason. Aside from Iraq, the KDO which has kept the camp under embargo for a long time, wants to establish both military and political dominance over the camp upon Turkey's request. ISIS bombing the camp right after Turkey bombing the camp with Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (SIHA) at intervals and the statements of Türkmeneli Front former Commander and the troops KDP deployed near the Maxmur camp indicates that Kurds are on the target.

	 

	SHENGAL PLAN

	 

	In order to make Shengal's security look weak, drugs, weapons and medication are transported by smugglers through the border between Mosul and Zaxo, and people are smuggled in. Thus, Shengal is portrayed as unsafe, and the area's security is debatable. Iraq is trying to bring Yazidi soldiers or Arab people instead of Shirta (Asayish) to checkpoints on village roads in Yazidi regions such as Til Kasap and Koço. Yazidis registered in the center of Iraq are made guards in state institutions in the center of Shengal. In addition, the Iraqi Border Guards carry out ambush-patrol activities to scare the people of Shengal that ISIS will attack the border of Syria and Rojava. Within the scope of the said plan, the Iraqi Army wants to pull back its forces, which are located close to the city centers, and replace them with their own security forces. This plan is linked to the articles in the Hewler-Baghdad agreement.

	 

	SHENGAL POLICY OF THE KDP 

	 

	Being a part of Turkey's operation plans in the region, the KDP has been laying an embargo on the Maxmur Camp for nearly two years and putting opposition, intellectuals, writers journalists in jails. Despite all these, Iraq wants its own candidate in Shengal for the elections. Not taking into consideration the Peshmerga who fleed Shengal during the ISIS attack on Shengal, wants to invade the city without any problems implementing the Hewlér- Baghdad Agreement.

	 

	In this context, the KDP, which focuses on public diplomacy with its very few Êzidî cadres, invites many people in Shengal to Duhok and Zaxo and holds individual meetings. It was learned that Aşiti Koçer, the new head of KDP's Shengal Branch (Leqa 17), and Babekir Zebarî, the military adviser of KDP Chair Mesut Barzani are discussing the history of the Yazidis and the KDP and Shengal. The newly appointed KDP's Shengal Public Security Officer Aşiti Koçer, who was not around because he attended a 20-day seminar held in Turkey while the Peshmerga fleed during the ISIS attack is shown as the only key to the solution.

	 

	Again under the leadership of Haydar Şeşo, a group of Yazidis is calling for participation in the Yazidi peshmerga by making their own propaganda under the pretext of election campaigns. It was learned that the Yazidi peshmerga were deployed within the Zêrewanî and Gulan forces under the responsibility of KDP affiliate Aziz Weysî, who were used against the PKK in the operation carried out by Turkey. It is stated that this tactic was suggested and accepted by the Shengal Peshmerga Commander Kasım Şeşo to Sîdar Barzani, one of the Barzani Security officers.

	 

	MA / Erdogan Altan