PKK against referendum and Kurdistan independence

Erbil (BasNews) The aim behind the presence of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) forces in Sinjar is to constitute barriers to hold the referendum for Kurdistan Region independence and affixing the district to Kurdistan Region.

Confidential sources told BasNews that PKK does whatever it takes to keep the situation in Sinjar as destabilized as possible to prevent the displaced people from returning to the area in order to secure its stay there.

PKK, according to local sources, has deployed a large number of additional forces in Sinjar mountain, in an attempt to render it a permanent military base.

The sources revealed that PKK has moved the local Yezidi forces to Qandil mountains and it has in return brought fighters from other parts of Kurdistan to Sinjar. This move came after hundreds of Yezidis left the party and joined the Peshmerga forces.

Sheikh Shamo, the representative of the Kurdish Yezidis in the Kurdistan Region Parliament, told BasNews that PKK is not only trying to impede the Kurdistan independence referendum, it is also precluding the IDPs from returning to their areas in Sinjar, explaining that their return is not in PKK’s favour.

“The referendum cannot be hold in this situation of Sinjar because from 400,000 people only 40,000 have returned home,” said the official.

Shamo said PKK’s agenda in Sinjar is clear; it is against the Kurdistan independence and affixing Sinjar to the Kurdistan Region.

The official argued that if PKK steps out of Sinjar, the security and stability will be restored in the area.