Sinjar clashes (2017)

Sinjar clashes (2017)
Part of the War in Iraq (2013–2017), and the spillover of the Syrian civil war

Fallow terrace fields in the Sinjar Mountains
Date3 March 2017
(1 day)
Location
Khanasor, Nineveh Province, Iraq
Result Ceasefire[2]
Belligerents
Kurdish National Council (KNC)
Supported by:
Kurdistan Democratic Party		 Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ)
Êzîdxan Women's Units (YJÊ)[1]
PKK[1]
Commanders and leaders
Unknown

Zardasht Shingali[3]
(YBŞ commander)

Rosyar Vejin[4]
(YJÊ commander)
Units involved
Rojava Peshmerga

YBŞ

PKK

Strength
~500 fighters,[2] 30 Humvees (YBŞ claim)[1] Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown number killed, ~12 wounded[3] (local reports)
"Dozens" killed, "dozens" surrendered,[6] 4 captured[7] (pro-PKK claim)		 5 killed, 20 wounded,[1][5] 5 captured[8]
2 killed[1][9]
Several civilians killed[2]

The Sinjar clashes of 3 March 2017 occurred between pro-PKK forces, namely the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ) and the Êzîdxan Women's Units (YJÊ), and the Rojava Peshmerga that serve as the Kurdish National Council's paramilitary wing. After KNC forces entered the town of Khanasor in the Iraqi Sinjar Mountains, fighting boke out among unclear circumstances, resulting in dozens of casualties.

The clashes have widely been seen as symptomatic for the high tensions among the forces that fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) around Sinjar, and the risk that these tensions could escalate into turf wars, which would degrade any attempts to drive the extremist group from the region for good.[2][3][10]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "YBŞ/YJŞ vows to respond to every attack on Shengal soil". Hawar News Agency. 4 March 2017. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d van Wilgenburg, Wladimir (4 March 2017). "Yezidis call on Kurdish parties to fight ISIS, not each other". ARA News. Archived from the original on 19 June 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Hussein, Rikar; Kajjo, Sirwan (3 March 2017). "Battles Among Kurds in Sinjar Could Hinder Fight Against Islamic State". Voice of America. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  4. ^ "YJŞ Commander: We will not leave our land to the traitors". ANF News. 3 March 2017. Archived from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Şengal martyrs procession heads for Şengal mountains". Hawar News Agency. 5 March 2017. Archived from the original on 10 March 2017.
  6. ^ "Dozens of 'Rojava Peshmergas' killed during clashes taken to hospital". ANF News. 3 March 2017. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  7. ^ "4 armed fighters of the KDP captured alive in Shengal". ANF News. 3 March 2017. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  8. ^ "Peshmerga issues new warning as it releases five YBS fighters". Rudaw Media Network. 4 March 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  9. ^ "HPG: Two guerrillas were viciously martyred in Shengal". ANF News. 5 March 2017. Archived from the original on 6 March 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  10. ^ Coles, Isabel; Karadeniz, Tulay (3 March 2017). "Rival Kurdish factions clash in northwestern Iraq". Reuters. Retrieved 4 March 2017.