Peshmerga arrest villagers who conspired against them

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – After repeated attacks on Kurdish forces, Peshmerga conducts an intelligence operation to arrest villagers loyal to the Islamic State (IS), according to a Peshmerga commander on Tuesday.

On July 31, IS insurgents attacked an oil field and gas company in the northwestern province of Kirkuk.

After Peshmerga repelled the assualt, military commanders told Kurdistan24 that some of the villagers had helped IS enter the area.

Peshmerga soldiers and commanders expressed their concern about IS sleeper cells behind front lines that often help jihadists enter the territories under the control of Kurdish forces.

Following the recent attacks on Kirkuk, Peshmerga launched an intelligence operation to arrest the suspects.

Arab villagers and residents near Peshmerga front lines have been accused of providing military information to IS repeatedly and helping the group attack the area.

Recently, IS attacked the village of Bahr in the south of Kirkuk. According to Peshmerga soldiers, some of the villagers behind the front lines fired at Kurdish forces during the assault.

“We have noticed that some villagers give military information to [IS] by using cell phones and monitoring Peshmerga front lines from rooftops,” Ali Sarhang, a Peshmerga in Bahr, told Kurdistan24

“Sometimes, when [IS] shells our bases via mortars, those villagers tell them the direction and distance close to the area,” he continued.

“The villagers are ethnically Arab. According to the information that we have obtained, many members of their families and relatives are fighting among [IS] and are loyal to the group,” Sarhang added.

Abubakr Abdul-Karim, a Peshmerga Commander in the area, said that the villagers of Bahr had been transferred away from the front lines.

He mentioned that the residents of 50 more villages close to Peshmerga fronts are expected to be relocated as well.

“Some of the villagers are a threat to Peshmerga bases as they send military information to [IS] and kill Peshmerga if they get a chance,” Abdul-Karim explained.

Moreover, Wasta Rasul, a Peshmerga Commander, stated that some villagers are threatening Peshmerga lives despite the Kurdish forces protecting them. He believes Peshmerga have no choice but to move them away from the front lines.

“If a glass gets too full, the water will spill out,” Rasul said.

According to Peshmerga commanders, in the last two months, IS had attacked Peshmerga bases five times via sleeper cells.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany