Iraqi PM Orders Shingal Arms Handover and State Integration
At a Glance
- Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi says Shingal resistance factions will begin handing over their weapons to the state.
- He says Mount Shingal will come under full federal security and administrative authority.
- Eligible members of the Shingal Resistance Units will be integrated into official Iraqi institutions.
- Baghdad will establish a high-level committee to assess Shingal's security, services, and reconstruction needs.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi has announced measures to place Shingal (Sinjar) fully under federal government authority, including the handover of weapons by local resistance factions. The government will also work to integrate eligible fighters into official state institutions.
Key Statements and Focus Area
- State Authority: “Mount Shingal will be under the full authority of the federal government and its security and administrative institutions.” — Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi.
- Arms Handover: “Shingal resistance factions will begin handing over their weapons to the state.” — Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi.
- Integration: “The state will safeguard the rights of members of the Shingal Resistance Units and the Women’s Units and honor their sacrifices by regularizing their status and integrating those who are eligible into Iraqi security institutions.” — Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi.
Al-Zaidi made the announcement during a meeting on Friday with a leadership delegation from the Yazidi Cause Alliance, its parliamentary bloc head MP Murad Ismael, and leaders of the Shingal Resistance Units.
The meeting focused on security and administrative conditions in Shigal, as well as reconstruction, services, and the future of the district’s residents.
Al-Zaidi said the weapons handover is part of efforts to strengthen state institutions, unify national security decisions, and end multiple centers of security authority.
The meeting also addressed infrastructure and reconstruction projects, compensation for affected residents, and measures to facilitate the return of displaced people. Administrative issues concerning the district’s institutions, government departments, and the Shingal Reconstruction Fund were also discussed.
Al-Zaidi said Yazidis are an integral part of Iraq’s diverse social fabric and described the country’s diversity as a national and humanitarian asset.
He referred to crimes committed against the Yazidi community by terrorist groups and said the government would continue efforts to secure justice, protect their rights, support their return, and address the consequences of years of terrorism and displacement.
The prime minister said the state would not allow Shingal to become an arena for conflict or permit any security or military authority to operate outside the state framework.
He also directed the inclusion of Yazidi community members in the One Million Residential Land Plots Project and called for conditions to be created for the full return of displaced people to their areas.
Al-Zaidi further ordered follow-up on Shingal's reconstruction and service needs to support residents remaining in the district and strengthen its social and economic stability.
A high-level committee will also be formed to conduct a comprehensive assessment of Shingal's security and service conditions, identify the district’s needs, and develop appropriate solutions.
The committee will oversee the integration of Shingal protection personnel into official security and service institutions and work to regularize their legal status.
Members of the delegation expressed support for the government’s measures, particularly the strengthening of state authority, weapons handover, and integration of the Shingal Resistance Units into official institutions. They also voiced support for combating corruption, economic reforms, and strengthening Iraq’s foreign relations.
FYI
Shingal has faced a fractured security and administrative crisis since the Islamic State's genocidal campaign against the Yazidi population in August 2014. Following the territorial defeat of ISIS, the region became a contested zone between federal and regional authorities, leaving local armed factions such as the Shingal Resistance Units to fill the governance vacuum.
Dive Deeper: Handpicked Stories for You
Follow Channel8 for continuous updates:
Iraqi PM Ali Faleh al-Zaidi Marks Yazidi Genocide Anniversary
1 hour ago