| White Flags | |
|---|---|
| Kurdish: ئاڵا سپییەکان | |
.jpg) Variant flag of the White Flags[1] | |
| Leaders |
|
| Dates of operation | 2017—present |
| Headquarters | Tuz Khurmatu |
| Active regions | Northern Iraq |
| Size | 500–1,000[5] |
| Part of |  Ansar al-Islam (Iraqi gov. claim)[3] |
| Allies |  Islamic State |
| Opponents | |
| Battles and wars | |
| Designated as a terrorist group by |  Iraq[8] |
The White Flags (Kurdish: ئاڵا سپییەکان), also known as Sufyaniyyun,[9][10] are a Kurdish Islamonationalist militant group which are an offshoot of Ansar al-Islam. They are based in the disputed territories of northern Iraq opposed to the Iraqi government.[11] Their appearance was first noted during the Battle of Kirkuk in October 2017, when the Jambur oil facility was secured by Iraqi forces in October 2017 as the federal government regained control of disputed territories which were taken by the Kurdish Regional Government.[12][13]
- ^ "بالصور... هنا يختبى السفيانيون في العراق!!".
- ^ "White Flags - intelNews.org". Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ a b Suadad al-Salhy (14 December 2017). "Kurdish militant group re-emerges in northern Iraq under new name". Arab News. Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
- ^ "Iraq to launch security operation against White Banners group, but who are they?". english.alarabiya.net. 4 February 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-02-04. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
meewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Wladimir van Wilgenburg (9 February 2018). "Coordination between Kurdish and Iraqi forces for anti-Jihadist operations in Tuz Khurmato". The Region. Archived from the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
- ^ Purpose, Task &. "A 'post-ISIS insurgency' is gaining steam in Iraq". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 25 April 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ ""الرايات البيضاء" تخلف "السوداء": بغداد تتحدى "الإرهاب" مجدّداً". الأخبار. Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ "من هم السفيانيون؟". مركز بيت العراق للدراسات الإستراتيجية (in Arabic). 2017-12-02. Retrieved 2022-09-05.
- ^ تقي, يقول حسين (2 December 2017). "من هم السفيانيون و جماعات الرايات البيضاء التي بدأت تظهر في مناطق كركوك؟ – صوت كوردستان" (in Arabic). Retrieved 2022-09-05.
- ^ "White Banners Movement Ignites War of Words Among Iraqi Factions". Asharq AL-awsat. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
- ^ "No surrender: 'White Flags' group rises as new threat in northern Iraq". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
- ^ "After ISIS black flags, Iraq faces 'White Banners' threat | Mamoon Alabbasi". AW. Retrieved 2021-12-27.