Ezidi Leader: Shingal delegation in Tehran not our representative

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The leader of the Kurdish Yezidi (Ezidi) community stated on Thursday that the Ezidi delegates who recently visited Tehran along with Iraqi officials do not represent the Ezidi community.

Representatives of the military wing of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Sinjar (Shingal), the Shia militia Hashd al-Shaabi, and Iraqi officials visited Iran on Tuesday, calling on authorities to support the effort to make Shingal a new province.

Sinjar Resistance Unit (YBS), PKK’s military wing based in the Ezidi-populated city of Shingal, and Hashd al-Shaabi, alongside a delegation from the Iraqi government consisting of representatives of the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, met Iranian officials in Tehran.

The joint groups met with Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, and asked for the Iranian government's support.

Velayati, in a press conference following the meeting, confirmed Iranian support to these groups, stating that, “The meeting emphasized their [YBS] cooperation with the Hashd al-Shaabi and they have good contact with Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the commander of the Hashd al-Shaabi.”

On Thursday, Baba Sheikh the religious leader of the Ezidi community told Kurdistan24 that he has not been informed about the Ezidi delegation visiting Tehran.

“Nobody represents us [in any visit],” Baba Sheikh said. “We are not aware of the visit. Some people from Shingal and Baghdad have joined the delegation.”

He also added that Shingal is part of the Kurdistan Region. “I have told President [of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani] about that, and I will not regret it.”

Moreover, Vian Dakhil, a Kurdish Ezidi MP in the Iraqi parliament told Kurdistan24 that the delegation is not familiar with the Iraqi laws and constitution, and they do not represent Kurds.

“We are surprised about the visit because it is not an Iranian affair to make Shingal a new province. What we do not know is the main agenda of the visit,” Dakhil said.

“The Ezidi people in the joint delegation do not represent the entire Ezidi community,” she added, pointing out that the groups need to discuss their concerns and demands with Erbil and Baghdad.

The so-called Islamic State (IS) occupied Shingal in August 2014 and committed a large number of atrocities against the Ezidis, labeling them “devil worshippers.” In November 2015, Kurdish Peshmerga forces with the air strike support of the US-led coalition liberated Shingal from IS control.

Editing by Ava Homa