40 Kurdish Al Qaida Fighters Return Back to Kurdistan Region

Welati reports about allegations that 40 Kurdish fighters returned to Iraq after the fighting started between Kurds and Al Qaida in Syria.

In a statement to Al-Hayat newspaper, Ministry of Awqaf spokesperson Mariwan Naqshbandi said: “We regret to resort to any of our citizens to bear arms and participate in the war under the banner of jihad, and the idea that jihad is taking up arms and fighting against others is unacceptable to us, so we circulated instructions to all imams and preachers to educate Kurdish youth and convince them that the priority is to serve their people.” Earlier reports indicated that especially youth from the PUK-controlled areas went on Jihad in Syria to fight against Assad. Naqshbandi claimed to have spoken to some who have returned after they found out they had to fight against Syrian Kurds.

Posted 11 hours ago by Wladimir van Wilgenburg