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Peshmerga: Daesh formed new courts and imposed royalties in Iraq

April 13, 2020 at 2:30 pm

Peshmerga forces inspect around the base after two Peshmerga soldiers were killed and eight others injured in a Daesh attack on a military base in Kirkuk in northern Iraq on May 7, 2017 [Ali Mukarrem Garip / Anadolu Agency]

Minister of Kurdistan Regional Guard Brigades in northern Iraq, Shoresh Ismail, said on Sunday that the terrorist group Daesh had formed new courts and re-imposed royalties on civilians in areas which lack the presence of security forces.

On Tuesday, Daesh militants launched an attack on the Peshmerga forces in the Koljo district of the Sulaymaniyah Governorate, killing two Peshmerga members.

“The terrorist group Daesh has rearranged its ranks in areas where there is a security vacuum, especially the disputed-over areas between Erbil and Baghdad,” added Ismail in a statement to reporters on the sidelines of his visit to the same district on the outskirts of Sulaymaniyah Governorate.

Ismail expressed his regret for not being able to coordinate with the Iraqi forces, which “has created a perfect opportunity for the group to re-emerge in those areas.”

He stressed that Daesh “has imposed royalties and reconstituted courts and to penalise people. It has also received support from some parties and managed to provide financial compensations to its fighters.”

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The minister also pointed out that there is cooperation between the Peshmerga forces and local citizens and it will be expanded so that the security forces and citizens can reach a stage where they can confront the risks facing this region.

In recent months, Daesh militants have increased their attacks in the region extending between the Governorates of Kirkuk, Saladin (north) and Diyala (east); an area known as the “Triangle of Death.”

In 2017, Iraq declared victory over Daesh after taking back its entire territory, which was estimated to be about one-third of the country’s total area invaded by Daesh in the summer of 2014.  The group still maintains sleeping cells in large areas of Iraq and continues to launch frequent attacks in several areas.