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‘Iran working to open a corridor from northern Iraq into Syria’

May 15, 2017 at 4:26 pm

A Kurdish leader has warned Iran-backed militia from nearing Yezidi areas in Sinjar and accused the Shia group of breaching an agreement which rejects the Shia presence in the Kurdish region.

Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani has opposed having the Popular Mobilisation Forces (Hashd Al-Shaabi) near Yezidi populated areas.

Kurdish sources reported that the Popular Mobilisation Forces besieged the two Yezidi areas of Tal Qasab and Tal Banat, over the weekend. A Peshmerga, Kurdish military official, who attendant a meeting between Barzani and officials in Sinjar told Rudaw TV  that the Hashd had changed their plans by attacking Yezidi populated areas and breached an agreement between Erbil and Baghdad which rejects a Shia presence in the region.

It was reported that the Hashd Al-Shaabi has been fighting to clear Daesh fighters out of the area for three days and until now it has captured nine Turkmen and Arab inhabited villages and besieged two Yezidi complexes.

The Hashd forces launched their operation to recapture areas west of Mosul in the early hours on Friday, as the Iraqi forces have been engaged in fierce fighting in western Mosul.

Read: Kurdish parties tell PKK to leave Iraq

While the Popular Mobilisation Forces has been retaking towns and villages in the west of Mosul close to the Syrian border, Kurdish military officials have accused Iran of leading the Shia offensive, because Tehran has long been trying to open a corridor from northern Iraq into Syria.

It’s thought that the US, Turkey and Saudi will oppose the Hashd’s presence in the region if they make further advances.

Iran has started the plan through the Hashd Al-Shaabi and they are just 60 kilometres now from Syria’s border. But I do not believe Iran’s dream will become a reality

representative to the Kurdistan Region’s President Barzani and Peshmerga Commander in Sinjar, Sarbast Lazgin said. He added that if the Shia militias do advance further, Turkey, Saudi and America will respond.