The agreement between Erbil and Baghdad on the Yezidi district of Shangal has not yet entered into force, and we hope that its reflection on the ground will be seen after the formation of a new government in Baghdad.
The Government of the Kurdistan Region (PKK) and the federal government of Iraq announced an agreement in October 2020, based on which Baghdad is obliged to withdraw all armed forces operating outside the control of the state. These groups are mainly associated with the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi Shiite militias and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
In a statement made by BasNews news agency, MP Majid Khalaf Hamo, who represents Shangal in the Iraqi parliament, said that the current government of Iraq is temporary until a new government is formed, and that is when the Shangal Agreement should practically come into force.
He also noted that his party, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), has made it clear to its allies in Baghdad that it will join the next government if an agreement is on the agenda.
"Shangal is going through very difficult days right now. The current night curfew has been imposed because of PKK militants targeting the Iraqi army. Therefore, it is expected that the Shangala Agreement will be implemented after the formation of the new government of Iraq," said Deputy Hamo.

The Shangal Agreement

The PKK and the Federal Government of Iraq held several rounds of negotiations during 2020, until on October 9 of the same year they reached an agreement on stabilizing the security and governance situation in Shangal and assisting hundreds of thousands of internally displaced Yazidis to return home safely.
Based on the agreement, Baghdad should replace the PKK and Shiite militias with forces under full State control, restore a legitimate administration in the region and provide it for the return of internally displaced persons. However, the PKK has repeatedly accused the Iraqi Government of not taking any action and not proceeding with the implementation of the agreement.

Content of the Agreement

In the agreement, special attention was paid to six issues:

- Election of a new mayor of Shangal.
- Taking control of the security of Shangal.
- Employment of 2,500 people from among the indigenous inhabitants of Shangal to form local forces to ensure the stability of the region and the security of the population.
- Expulsion of PKK militants and Shiite militias and all armed groups associated with these parties.
- The PKK should not be included in the local forces created by Baghdad. All efforts should be consistent with the plan to help the residents of Shangal safely return home and live a decent life.

Mlêtê Êzidî