Sinjar Resistance Units
| Sinjar Resistance Units | |
|---|---|
| Yekîneyên Berxwedana Şengalê (YBŞ) | |
 Flag of YBŞ | |
| Leaders | Sheikh Khairy Khedr † Mazlum Shengal[1] |
| Dates of operation | 2007–present[2] |
| Headquarters | Sinjar, Nineveh Governorate, Iraq |
| Ideology | Democratic Confederalism, Yazidi regionalism |
| Part of | Sinjar Alliance |
| Allies |  Sinjar Women's Units Protection Force of Sinjar People's Defence Forces (PKK) Free Women's Units (PKK) People's Protection Units Women's Protection Units |
| Opponents |  Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant |
| Battles and wars | Iraqi Civil War (2014–present) |
The Sinjar Resistance Units ([Yekîneyên Berxwedana Şengalê] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help); YBŞ), formerly called King Peacock (Arabic: Malik Al-Tawus), is a non-political Yazidi militia formed in Iraq in 2007 to protect the Yazidi community in Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan in the wake of attacks by Iraqi insurgents.[4] According to chief of Ezidi Press, it is an offshoot of the pan-Kurdish Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).[5] It is the second largest Yazidi militia, after the Protection Force of Sinjar (HPS).[5] However, it is much more active than the Protection Force of Sinjar in fighting against ISIS.[5]
Together with its rather newly founded all-women offshoot, the Êzidxan Women's Units (YJÊ), and the formerly Peshmerga-aligned Protection Force of Sinjar (HPŞ), in October 2015 it founded the all-Yazidi joint commando umbrella structure Sinjar Alliance.
History
The Sinjar Resistance Units took part in the August 2014 Northern Iraq offensive, killing at least 22 ISIS fighters and destroying 5 armoured vehicles in the vicinity of the Sinjar Mountains.[2]
Hundreds of Yazidis received training from YPG instructors at the Serimli military base in Qamishli, Syria, before being sent back to the Mount Sinjar frontlines.[6] These forces were re-branded as the "Sinjar Resistance Units".[7][8]
Commander of Sinjar Resistance Units Sheikh Khairy Khedr was killed in action during the October 2014 clashes in Sinjar.[9]
There have been increased tensions between the YBS and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). KRG forces largely fled Mount Sinjar when ISIS first attacked, leaving many Yazidis resentful and distrustful.[10]
In October 2015, the YBŞ participated in the foundation of the Sinjar Alliance as an all-Yazidi joint commando umbrella structure. Besides their all-women offshoot, the Êzidxan Women's Units (YJÊ), the formerly Peshmerga-aligned Protection Force of Sinjar (HPŞ)[1] and other, independent Yazidi units committed to the united Yazidi front.[11]
Under the joint command of the newly founded Sinjar Alliance, the Sinjar Resistance Units took part in the November 2015 Sinjar offensive.[12]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Yezidi forces form alliance against IS". Êzîdî Press. 31 October 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
- ^ a b "Yazidi militia claims to have killed at least 22 Islamic State militants". Haaretz. 22 August 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
Malik al-Tawus is a self-defense group, believed to have been set up in 2007 to protect the Yazidi community in Iraq against attacks by radical Islamists.
- ^ "Yazidis Form Militia To Protect Sinjar Mountain". Aina. 6 August 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- ^ Ridolfo, Kathleen (31 May 2007). "Christian population dwindling due to threats, attacks". Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
'We have formed a troop of the brave and faithful from the Yazidi clan called the Malik Al-Tawus [King Peacock] troop'
- ^ a b c Paraszczuk, Joanna (11 June 2015). "Yazidi militias fight IS in Iraq, amid Kurdish rivalries". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
- ^ "Kurdish militants train hundreds of Yazidis to fight Islamic State". Aina. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- ^ Khalel, Sheren; Vickery, Matthew (23 February 2015). "Yazidis battle ISIL: Disaster 'made us stronger'". Al Jazeera English.
- ^ "IS-Terror in Shingal: Wer kämpft gegen wen? Ein Überblick". Êzidî Press. 12 October 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
- ^ "Iraqi journalists flee as ISIS closes in". 24 October 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- ^ Krohn, Jonathan; Spencer, Richard. "Yazidi leader 'arrested by Kurdish authorities'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ "Independent Yezidi units join Shingal alliance". Êzîdî Press. 31 October 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
- ^ "Shingal: KurdInnen starten mit vereinten Kräften Großoffensive gegen IS". Kurdische Nachrichten (in German). 12 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
