MESOP NEWS : Kurdistan Region Islamic party lashes out forming canton in Shingal

23 Jan 2015 – Kurdpress – Kurdistan Islamic Community Party expressed its sever opposition to forming a canton in Kurdistan Region’s southern city of Shingal. Releasing a statement, the party, led by Ali Bapir, voiced its opposition to creating in the city, most of it still under the control of the militants of the Islamic State (IS).

“Kurdistan Islamic Community believes Shingal and all Kurdistani regions, out of the region’s control, are a part of Kurdistan Region’s soil and the region’s president, government and parliament are responsible in making decisions for them,” the statement said.The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) announced January 14 the establishment of a canton in Shingal, the same as Kurdish cantons in northern Syria, after parts of the city were liberated by the PKK fighters and the Kurdish forces of Peshmerga. 200 Yazidi representatives attended in the conference under the title of “democratic self-management is our will.” Four committees were formed for the canton to organize Yazidi Kurdish society and another committee to follow the sate of Yazidi hostages taken by the radical group that attacked Shingal in June, killed many and abducted thousands, most of them women and has already sold a large number of them as slaves.