Al-Zaidi Pledges Civilian District Governor and Security Reorganization for Shingal
At a Glance
- A Yazidi Cause Alliance member said the Iraqi PM pledged to appoint a civilian district governor in Shingal favored by Yazidis.
- Local forces—including the YBŞ, YJŞ, and Asayish—will be reorganized under the federal Ministries of Interior and Defense.
- A new committee will oversee security regularization, manage infrastructure reconstruction, and coordinate local land allocations.
- The alliance urged prioritizing service delivery, mass grave excavations, and compensation to return 55,000 displaced families.
Saeed Batosh, a leadership member of the Yazidi Cause Alliance, stressed that the “unique” status of the forces in Shingal (Sinjar) must be taken into account, noting that Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi has promised to reorganize all of them into official state forces and to appoint a district governor (Qaimaqam) favored by the Yazidis, rather than a military official.
Key Statement and Focus Area
- Speaking to Channel8, Saeed Batosh said they told the Iraqi Prime Minister that the Shingal Protection Forces (Ezidxan Protection Force or HPE) have given 500 martyrs and hold a just cause, which is “the Yazidi cause.”
- Batosh noted that an agreement was reached to form a committee to grant the rights and entitlements of the families of martyrs and the wounded.
- The delegatino member added that al-Zaidi stated a military commander will not be appointed over Shingal.
Leadership member Batosh told Channel8 that the process of integrating their forces into state institutions “is not easy”; this force was established after Shingal was abandoned to ISIS, rather than being brought in from the outside.
Batosh said during their delegation's meeting with the Iraqi Prime Minister, along with reaching an agreement to form a committee, they requested that just as other components have their own forces, this force should remain as a unique characteristic of the Yazidis, becoming a brigade to protect the Yazidis and Shingal, and that the sacrifices it made in the past be respected.
Regarding how the Shingal forces will be integrated into state institutions, Saeed Batosh explained that the delegation requested attaching the security (Asayish) and police forces to the Ministry of Interior, while placing the remaining forces under the Ministry of Defense.
He noted that this framework would encompass the Shingal Resistance Units (YBŞ), YJŞ, and Asayish forces under the condition that their explicit duty remains protecting the district, effectively turning the combined force into a Yazidi unit belonging directly to the federal government.
"We told Ali al-Zaidi that the forces on Mount Shingal are Iraqi forces but Yazidi; they must be strengthened and formalized,” he added.
Batosh emphasized that resolving Shingal’s administrative crisis requires prioritizing the return of displaced persons, rescuing captives, excavating mass graves, and delivering essential services to enable the return of 55,000 displaced families.
He further pointed out that while Yazidis comprise 20 percent of the Nineveh province, the community remains significantly underrepresented in local governance relative to its population.
The delegation member highlighted that they frankly informed al-Zaidi that various external factions had previously monopolized the district's geography, budget, administration, and votes for their own political benefit rather than serving the local population.
He underlined that local representatives are the true stakeholders of the region, stating, “we consider ourselves the owners of Shingal's issues and its people,” rather than outsiders.
Furthermore, Batosh revealed that the Prime Minister pledged that a military commander would not be appointed over Shingal, stating instead that a local civilian would be named mayor.
Al-Zaidi assured the delegation that the individual selected for the post would be favored by the Yazidis, while local forces would be reorganized and integrated into official state institutions.
FYI
Following the 2014 Yazidi Genocide, Shingal developed a complex security landscape featuring localized forces that defend the area.
Prime Minister al-Zaidi met with a delegation from the Yazidi Cause Alliance, the head of its parliamentary bloc, MP Murad Ismael, and the leadership of the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ) yesterday evening to address the district's situation alongside key issues regarding its stability, reconstruction, and long-term future.
During the meeting, al-Zaidi stated that Shingal resistance factions will begin handing over their weapons to the state and “that Mount Sinjar will be under the full authority of the federal government and its security and administrative institutions.”
Al-Zaidi affirmed that the decision to hand over weapons will integrate eligible forces into official security institutions while safeguarding state authority and honoring their past sacrifices.
To support regional stability, he also directed the formation of a high-level committee to oversee this integration, launch infrastructure reconstruction, and finalize residential land allocations for returning displaced families.
Meanwhile, the Yazidi Cause Alliance said in a statement that the meeting witnessed “important understandings” regarding the security file in the district, adding that the Shingal Resistance Units announced their “readiness” to integrate into state security institutions, and concurrently, Mount Sinjar and the entire district will come under the full authority of the federal government to consolidate state sovereignty and preserve regional stability.
The meeting emphasized ending "multiple centers of security decision-making," establishing state institutions as the sole authorities to insulate Shingal’s future from external conflicts.
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