MESOP NEWS : PKK Exploits Sinjar Situation for Own Ambitions: Official / The armed groups in Sinjar are pursuing their own ambitions

Basnews English  – 13 Nov 2016 – SINJAR — An official from Sinjar district stated that Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) exploited the wounds inflicted to Yezidis by Islamic State (IS) for its own ambitions.  Naif Saido, the mayor of Sinuni sub-district in Sinjar, said that the area has been subjected to multiple genocides and atrocities throughout history, noting that the latest catastrophe inflicted to the area by the IS militants left the district with numerous social, economical and political predicaments. Saido told BasNews that PKK and other groups took advantage of such predicaments for their own interests which they have further worsened the condition of the people in the district.

PKK presence in Sinjar will further pose threat to the area as it may attract Turkish aerial attacks on the area, he said. The existing armed groups, particularly PKK, in Sinjar need to vacate the district if they attend to Kurdish national interests, Saido said, arguing that these groups are disregarding the national interests; they are rather pursuing their own ambitions.PKK’s presence in Sinjar is a main barrier to the reconstruction of the district and the return of the IDPs to their homes, said the official, adding that the people of the district fear the presence of the illegitimate forces. The Yezidi town was overrun by the militants after the fall of Mosul in mid-2014. The extremist group killed and kidnapped thousands from the community and forced many more to escape home and find shelter in other areas of Kurdistan Region.However, the residents are yet to return to their homes due to the large-scale of destruction war has brought to Sinjar and the presence of the PKK guerrillas. www.mesop.de