Sinjar Resistance Units

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Sinjar Resistance Units
Yekîneyên Berxwedana Şengalê (YBŞ)
YBS logo.jpg
Official logo of the Sinjar Resistance Units
Active 2007–present[1]
Country Iraq
Size 1,500[2]
Engagements

Iraqi insurgency (2011-present)

Commanders
Current
commander
Sheikh Khairy Khedr  

The Sinjar Resistance Units (Kurdish: Yekîneyên Berxwedana Şengalê‎), commonly known as the YBŞ, formerly called King Peacock Troop (Arabic: Malik Al-Tawus Troop‎) 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.[3]

Activity[edit]

Sinjar Resistance Units militia 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.[1]

Hundreds of Yazidis received training from the YPG instructors at the Serimli military base in Qamishli, Syria, before being sent back to the mount Sinjar frontlines.[4] These forces were re-branded as the "Sinjar Resistance Units".[5][6]

Commander of Sinjar Resistance Units Sheikh Khairy Khedr was killed in action, during the October 2014 clashes in Sinjar.[7]

Tensions with Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government[edit]

There have been increased tensions between the YBS and the Kurdish Regional Government KRG. KRG forces largely fled Mount Sinjar when ISIS first attacked, leaving many Yazidis resentful and distrustful. Recently, one of the top YBS leaders, Heydar Şeşo, was arrested by the KRG for attempting to bring in arms from Iran.[8]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Yazidi militia claims to have killed at least 22 Islamic State militants". Haaretz. 22 August 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014. 
  2. ^ "Yazidis Form Militia To Protect Sinjar Mountain". Aina. 6 August 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014. 
  3. ^ "Christian Population Dwindling Due To Threats, Attacks". Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. 1 June 2007. Retrieved 7 November 2014. 
  4. ^ "Kurdish Militants Train Hundreds of Yazidis to Fight Islamic State". Aina. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014. 
  5. ^ Khalel, Sheren; Vickery, Matthew (23 February 2015). "Yazidis battle ISIL: Disaster ‘made us stronger’". Al Jazeera English. 
  6. ^ "IS-Terror in Shingal: Wer kämpft gegen wen? Ein Überblick". Êzidî Press. 12 October 2014.  Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  7. ^ "Iraqi journalists flee as ISIS closes in". 24 October 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014. 
  8. ^ Krohn, Jonathan; Spencer, Richard. "Yazidi leader 'arrested by Kurdish authorities'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 16 August 2015.