Sinjar Resistance Units

Sinjar Resistance Units
Yekîneyên Berxwedana Şengalê (YBŞ)
LeadersSheikh Khairy Khedr †
Zeki Shingali †[1] Daniel Kınık
Dates of operation2007–present[2]
HeadquartersSinjar, Nineveh Governorate, Iraq
IdeologyYazidi regionalism
Democratic confederalism
Political positionLeft-wing
StatusActive
Size1,500+[3]
Part ofSinjar Alliance
Popular Mobilization Forces[4]
Allies Kurdistan Workers' Party
Sinjar Women's Units
Êzîdxan Protection Force (Until March 2017)
People's Protection Units
Women's Protection Units
 Iraq (sometimes)
Opponents Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
(2019)
 Turkey
 Iraq (sometimes)
Battles and warsIraqi Civil War (2014–2017)

Syrian Civil War

Sinjar clashes (2019)

Sinjar clashes (2022)
WebsiteOfficial website

The Sinjar Resistance Units (Kurdish: Yekîneyên Berxwedana Şengalê; YBŞ) is a Yazidi militia formed in Iraq in 2007 to protect Yazidis in Iraq in the wake of attacks by Sunni Islamist insurgents.[7] It is the second largest Yazidi militia, after the Êzîdxan Protection Force (HPÊ).[8] However, it is much more active than the HPÊ in fighting against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).[8]

Together with its newly founded all-women offshoot, the Êzîdxan Women's Units (YJÊ), and the formerly Peshmerga-aligned HPŞ, in October 2015 it founded the all-Yazidi joint command umbrella structure Sinjar Alliance. YBŞ and YJÊ are part of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) and work with the People's Defence Forces (HPG) of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).[9][8] Parts of the YBŞ eventually joined the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) as part of an initiative to integrate into the regular Iraqi Armed Forces; these elements are officially known as the 80th Regiment.[4]

  1. ^ "Yezidi forces form alliance against IS". Êzîdî Press. 31 October 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference JuT was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Yazidis Form Militia To Protect Sinjar Mountain". Aina. 6 August 2014. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  4. ^ a b Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (6 April 2021). "The Asayish Izidkhan: Interview". Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  5. ^ ""Manbij operation will continue until ISIS is completely expelled"". ANF News. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Şengal's YJŞ: heading for al-Raqqa to liberate Yazidi women". Hawar News Agency. 3 July 2017. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  7. ^ Ridolfo, Kathleen (31 May 2007). "Christian population dwindling due to threats, attacks". Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. Retrieved 7 November 2014. 'We have formed a troop of the brave and faithful from the Yazidi clan called the Malik Al-Tawus [King Peacock] troop'
  8. ^ a b c Paraszczuk, Joanna (11 June 2015). "Yazidi militias fight IS in Iraq, amid Kurdish rivalries". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  9. ^ "On patrol with the Sinjar Resistance Units". Reuters. Retrieved 1 December 2016.