‘Embarrassment ID’ for IS militants who refuse fighting Peshmerga

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Islamic State (IS) group has begun to issue special IDs for militants who flee in the fight against Peshmerga forces in the Kurdistan Region, according to a surrendered member on Saturday.

Within the last month, almost 3,500 people, including IS insurgents have surrendered to Peshmerga forces in Makhmour-Gwer front line, southwestern Erbil, said a high-ranking Peshmerga commander who chose to remain anonymous.

On Saturday, four residents from the IS-controlled city of Mosul submitted themselves to Peshmerga forces on the same front line.

“After the defeat of Da’esh by the Peshmerga forces in the Telskuf area, almost 90 percent of the militants in Hama Alil, southeastern Mosul, escaped, and some returned to their homes inside Mosul. Peshmerga has destroyed the morale of Da’esh,” said one of the surrendered militants to Kurdistan24, using a pejorative word for IS.

On May 3, IS launched multiple attacks on the Peshmerga front line in Telskuf area, northern Mosul. IS deployed a large number of militants and suicide bombers in the attack, aiming to break the Peshmerga’s defensive line, but the Kurdish forces repelled the attack and killed over 125 insurgents.

“After the defeat, many militants escaped and left the Da’esh front line,” said one of the surrendered people.

“Da’esh has created an embarrassment ID for those militants who leave military service in fear of Peshmerga. The ID represents their fear against Peshmerga,” he added.

Regarding the ways to escape from IS, one of the surrendered insurgents stated that they pay a smuggler in the IS-controlled area to take them close to the Peshmerga front line without letting IS commanders know about it.

“We paid a smuggler to take us near the Peshmerga front. We passed a river and spent eight hours walking until we reached here,” another surrendered person said. “There were IEDs (improvised explosive devices) on our way which were planted by Da’esh.”

It is worth mentioning that the Kurdish security carefully investigates those who escape from IS. According to Peshmerga commanders, IS often sends their sleeper cells among the surrendered people, aiming to plot in the Kurdistan Region.

“It is impossible for IS sleeper cells to surpass our security measures,” said a Peshmerga commander in the Makhmour-Gwer front, whose name was not revealed.

“All the surrendered people will be investigated and sent to court. They will only be released if the court proves their innocence,” he concluded.

Reporting by Hemin Hussein and Mewan Dolamari
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany